Class. , 

Book 

COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT 



ST. VINCENTS MANUAL, 



CONTAINING A 



SELECTION OF PRAYERS 



DEVOTIONAL EXERCISES, 



FOR THE USE OF THE SISTERS OF CHARITY, 

IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 

SECOND EDITION, 

REVISED, ENLARGED, AND ADAPTED TO GENERAL USE. 



BALTIMORE: 
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY JOHN MURPHY, 

H O. 178 MARKET STREET. 

PHILADELPHIA: JAMES FULLERTON, 57 SOUTH FOURTH ST 

PITTSBURG: GEORGE QUIGLEY. 
And add by all the -principal Catholic Booksellers throughout the United States. 

MDcccirvm'. 



ORIGINALLY PREPARED 




"WITH THE APPROBATION OF THE SUPERIORS. 



\ w <v q, 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1847, by 
JOHN MURPHY, 
in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Maryland. 



PREFACE. 



In publishing a second edition of St. Vincent's Manual, 
which was originally prepared for the special use of the Sis- 
ters of Charity of St. Joseph, it was deemed advisable to 
make such alterations and additions as would adapt it to more 
general use, without, however, changing the character of the 
prayer-book. With this view, a few pages that appeared to 
be suited only to members of a religious community, have 
been omitted in the body of the work, and printed ad cal- 
cem in those copies only which are used among the Sisters 
of Charity. In some prayers throughout the book, there 
are expressions which make allusion to that community, or 
to its duties, and which can either be passed over by secu- 
lar persons, or, if retained, may be understood of the 
family of which they are members, or of some individual 
belonging to it, or may be applied in some other way : for 
instance, the expression holy vows, may be taken for the 
sacred engagements of baptism. The additions that have 
been made to the work, consist principally of devotions 
that are extensively practised among pious Catholics, as the 
Way of the Cross, the prayers of Bona Mors, Meditations 
for every day in the month, the Scapular, Living rosary, 
Month of May, &c, several of which were never before 

iii 



IV PREFACE. 

published in a prayer-book for general use. This edition 
also embraces fuller instructions on the festivals of the 
church, the sacrifice of mass, the holy communion, con- 
firmation, baptism, rules of a Christian life, together with 
the burial service for children and for adults, and a variety 
of other matter. The contents of the original Manual 
have been carefully revised, and numerous errors of style 
and typography have been corrected. The publisher there- 
fore presents the work to the Catholic community, with 
full confidence that it will prove the most complete, com- 
prehensive, and accurate prayer-book that has ever ap- 
peared in this country. 



US') 2- 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 



Adsttnexce. days of- Page 24 

Acts and prayers v 340 

« of faith, hope, charity. &c. • • 341 

— — indulgences attached to their Tecitation 543 

before communion 259 

after communion 235 

— — of adoration to Jesus Christ in the B. Sacrament 357 

for the sick • 652 

of divine love and oblation 343 

of submission and confidence 349 

Advent, vespers in • 750 

Agnus Dei, of the 491 

Agony, prayers for the time of 670 

All-Saints, vespers on the festival of- • • 750 

Angelical salutation, on the 422 

Angelus Domini, the 58 

-on the 42') 

Anthems of the B. V. Marv 737 

■ O. of Advent 94 

• and hymrfs. See Hymns. I 

Apostles, vespers on the festivals of the 745 

Ascension, vespers on the festival of- 752 

Asperges, prayers of the ' 106 

Aspirations for various occasions 69 

« for some particular occasions 73 

after communion 281 

Attributes of the Catholic Church- • • 786 

Bapt : sm, instructions and prayers for anniversary of 499 

• prayer to the patron of 501 

Beads of the S. heart of Jesus 356 

Benediction of the B. Sacrament 753 

the last, or in articulo mortis 668 

Bona Mors, of the devotion called 606 

prayers for 607 

Burial service, for adults 697 

■ for children 708 

Calendar, the Roman 7 

Canticle Magnificat anima mea 735 

■ Nunc dimittis servum ti/um 784 

Chaplet of the precious blood of Jesus Christ, and indulgences 

attached to it 548 

Chaplet of St. Joseph 476 

Christmas day, vespers on 751 

Collects and gospels for the Sundays and holydays 130 

Commandments 24 

Communion, precept of • 25 



2 ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 

Communion, instructions on Page 243 

meditation on frequent 247 

devotions before 252, 263 

devotions after 272,290 

offering - of 294 

prayers at Mass before 294 

prayers at Mass after 305 

Communion of the cross • G23 

Complin 778 

Confession, precept of • 25 

; devotions before 205 

devotions after 227 

Confessors, vespers on the festival of 749, 719 

Confirmation, instructions and prayers for 502 

Corpus Christi, vespers on the festival of- 752 

Death, considerations on 620 

remote preparation for 625 

Devotions, before morning prayers 47 

■ after evening prayers, and during the night 95 

i for confession 205 

> for communion 252 

before the B. Sacrament 321 

to the S. heart of Jesus 3ot 

to the S. heart of Mary 442 

Easter, vespers on the festival of 751 

Epiphany, vespers on the festival of the 754 

Evening prayers S3 

Examen of conscience, method of- 81 

Extreme unction, spiritual reception of- 628 

• instruction on the sacrament of 660 

■ prayers for 663 

i sentiments of piety after receiving 664 

Fasting days of obligation 23 

Festivals, explanation of , 25 

Guardian angel, indulgences attached to the recitation of a 
prayer in honor of the 564 

Holy-days of obligation 23 

Heart of Jesus, confraternity of the sacred 3-50 

devotion to the sacred 351 

. novena to the sacred 361 

beads of the sacred 356 

. indulgences granted to the confraternity of the 557 

Heart of Mary, devotion to the sacred 442 

archconfraternity of the immaculate 467 

Hymns and Anthems : 

Adoremus in Eeternum Prostrate and trembling 756 

Alma redemptoris 737 

Ave, maris Stella Bright mother 744 

Ave, regina '38 

Ave, verum corpus Hail, real body 757 

Lucis Creator O great Creator 734 

O salutaris hostia O saving host 756 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 3 

Hymns and Anthems : 

O sanctissima Page 758 

Pange lingua gloriosi Sing, O my tongue 753 

Panis angelicus The bread of Angels 757 

Qu.cumque sanus vivere 774 

Regma coeli 739 

Salve Regina 740 

Stabat mater Under the world's 759 

Sub tuum praesidium O holy mother 758 

Te Deum We praise thee 775 

Te lucis ante terminum- • «To thee, before the close 783 

Te, splendor et virtus • 773 

Veni, Creator Spiritus Spirit, Creator 760 

Veni, sancte Spiritus Come, Holy Ghost 762 

Break forth, O Sion 763 

Holy patron 768 

In this unfathomed mystery* • • • 766 
Jerusalem, my happy home - • • • 770 

Jesus, Saviour of my soul 766 

Jesus, the only thought 767 

Like the children of Sion 769 

Mild and serene 770 

Oh ! what could my Jesus - • • • 767 

O God ! how ought 771 

Thee, sovereign God- 772 

Indulgences, instructions on 534 

■ Plenary, granted to the Diocess of Baltimore, and 

to several other Diocesses • 566 

■ Plenary,attachedtovarious prayers and practices 540 

u to crosses and medals 566 

prayer expressive of intention of gaining Plenary 281 

Partial 567 

Instructions for those who assist the sick and dying 633 

Jesus Christ, indulgences attached to various prayers and 

practices in honor of our Lord 544 

Joseph, novena to St. 471 

Chaplet of- 476 

• hymn in honor of- 774 

— indulgences attached to its recitation 570 

oblation to St. Joseph, to choose him for our patron. • 476 

Lent, vespers in 751 

Litany of the blessed Trinity 394 

of the holy name of Jesus 55 

■ of the Infant Jesus 91 

■ of the S. heart of Jesus ~« 354 

■ of the life and passion of Jesus Christ 397 

• of the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ 401 

■ of the B. Sacrament 404 

■ of the B. V. Mary, in English and Latin 87, 412 

of the S. heart of Mary 443 

■ of the immaculate conception of the B. V. Mary 468 

of the holy Angels 410 

m of St. Joseph 86 



4 ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 

Litany of St. Peter Page 478 

• of St. Paul 4^4 

- — of St. Mary Magdalen 179 

of St. Vincent of Paul 477 

of St. Theresa • 4S1 

of St. Stephen 4S5 

— of St. Bernard 4S7 

• of St. Aloysius 490 

of St. Philomena 4S2 

of the Saints, in English and Latin- ■ 414 

for a good death 631 

for a soul departing G74 

■ for the dead 407 

Mary, the rosary of the Blessed Virgin 427 

devotion to the S. heart of 442 

■ the dolors and joys of 451, 454, 458 

■ archconfraternity of the immaculate heart of* 467 

indulgences attached to various prayers and practices 

ili honor of 562 

• vespers on the festivals of 741 

Martyrs, vespers on the festival of one or several 748 

Mass. when of precept 26 

instructions on the holy sacrifice of r 99 

devotions for 106 

• method of hearing it spiritually 129 

for the dead 682 

manner of serving at 722 

Meditation, or mental prayer, utility of 60 

method of 62 

■ how to make it well 66 

— prayers before 63 

indulgences granted to those who make 565 

• on the esteem we ought to entertain for absolution 203 

on the advantages and conditions of frequent com- 
munion • 246 

on the desire of death 620 

Meditations for the sick 645 

Michael, hymn in honor of St. 773 

indulgences attached to its recitation 564 

Month of May, devotion of the •** 45-1 

Morning prayers • 50 

Name of Jesus, vespers on the festival of the holy 751 

Novena to the S. heart of Jesus 361 

— in honor of the name of Jesus •• 378 

■ to the Infant Jesus • • • • 379 

■ to the B. Virgin Mary 445 

to St. Joseph 471 

Offering of our divine Saviour's thoughts. &c. 233 

of the divine sacrifice and communion 294 

Penance, instruction on the sacrament of 190 

Pious reflections for every day in the month 572 

Prayer, on the necessity, &c, of 44 



* ' - 

ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 




t^UtESS. Our Father, Hail Mary. 53. I believe in God, 54. 115. 

I confess to Almighty God, 54. Pater noster* 124. Con- 
jiteou 778. Blood of Jesus, wash me, 346. Soul of 
Christ, sanctify me, 347. O Jesus living in Mary, 
347. Remember, O most pious. 450. To beg counsel, 
343. To implore assistance at the beginning of an 
undertaking, 344. On a prosperous event, 344. On 
a disastrous issue, 345. Under temptations, 345. To 
the adorable name, Jesus, 346. In honor of the five 
wounds, 347. To obtain final perseverance, 347. 
To obtain the love of Jesus, 348. 

— .i for all things necessary to salvation Page 384 

■ of thanksgiving upon the recovery of a person from 

sickness 681 

— ... ~~ of St. Bernard to the B. V. 450 

. devout, before the B. Sacrament 268, 326 

to the most holy Trinity 394 

■ to Jesus suffering 400 

— ■ to Jesus in the B. Sacrament 403 

— 1 ' for the souls suffering in purgatory 406 

to St. Michael - 410 

for the Pope and the Church 493 

for one's confessor - 494 

to the monthly patron 494 

to know one's vocation 495 

for rain, in any necessity, in famine, in time of an 

earthquake 497 

m m m ~^ **~ for a woman in a state of pregnancy 497 

to St. Aloysius Gonzaga, to obtain purity 571 

— menial. See Meditation. 

— -« ' **>• ■ for the Church, the ruling powers, &c. 97 

— — at Mass before and after communion 294, 305 

— — ■ for the time of agony 670 

Preservatives against sin 234 

P'otession of Catholic faith 41 

F*Hlier of Jesus 366 

heati omnes Blessed are all they 752 

Beams vir, qui timet- • • • • -Blessed is the man 729 

<JcrJhebor tibi, Domine- • -I will praise thee 727 

Credidi, propter quod I have believed 745 

Cum invocarem When I called 779 

De profundis Out of the depths 751 

Deus, in adjutoriummeum- Incline unto my aid, O God - • • • 726 
Dixit Dominus Domino- • -The Lord said to my Lord- •• • 726 

Domine, probasti me Lord, thou hast proved me 746 

F.coe nunc benedicite Behold, now bless 7S2 

In oonvertendo When the Lord brought 746 

in exitu Israel W T hen Israel went out 731 

In te. Domine, speravi In thee, O Lord, have I hoped- 780 

Lffitatus sum I rejoiced at the things 741 

Laoda, Jerusalem Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem* 743 

Laudate Dominum omnes -O praise the Lord, all ye 733 

Lgu U a te pueri Dominum* - Praise the Lord, ye children - ■ 730 
X* 



6 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 



Psalms : 

Memento, Domine, David -O Lord, remember David Page 749 

Nisi Dornmuscedificaverit- Unless rlie Lord build 742 

Qui habitat in adjutorio- • -He that dwelleth 781 

Seven Penitential : Blessed are they whose 386 

Have mercy on me 389 

Hear, O Lord, my prayer, and. 390 
Hear. O Lord, my prayer, give 392 

O Lord, rebuke me not 385 

Out of the depths 392 

Rebuke me not, O Lord 387 

Recommendation of a soul departing 074 

Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on the 427 

prayers of- 432 

Rosary, the living 440 

indulgences granted to the confraternity of the 561 

Rule of life for a pious Christian 595 

Sacrament, (the Blessed) prayers which may be said before 268,326 

Sacrament devotions before- •• 321 

indulgences attached to various prayers in honor 

of ..556 

Sacraments, in general, on the 189 

Scapular, devotion of the 461 

— indulgences granted to the confraternity of the 562 

Servile works, when forbidden 25 

Sick, instructions for Ihose who assist the 633 

— — - some points to be particularly attended to by those who 

assist the 635 

— — thoughts which maybe suggested to the 633 

instructions for the 637 

" ' ; against different temptations 642 

< meditations for the 645 

devotions for the 651 

St. Aloysius, devotions to • • • 488 

litany of- 490 

Sufferings, consolations and advantages of 641 

Thirty days' prayer to our Lord 380 

• u " to the B. Virgin Mary 447 

Trinity, indulgences attached to various prayers and prac- 
tices in honor of the blessed 540 

Vespers for Sundays. &c. 726 

Vestments, explanation of the Church 103 

Viaticum, preparation for the holy ••• • 657 

, prayers before and after receiving the holy 659 

Virgins, vespers on the festival of holy 750 

Way of the cross, devotion of the 509 

Whitsunday, vespers on the festival of 752 

Women, vespers on the festivals o. holy 750 

Wounds of our Lord, prayers to the five 612 

■ indulgences attached to their recitation 543 



THE ROMAN CALENDAR. 



The Calendar is a Table containing the Feasts 
which are kept during the year. They are of two 
6orts : some are affixed to certain days, and are called 
immovable ,• others have no fixed days, and are called 
movable. 

The immovable feasts have been carefully distin- 
guished in the Calendar. Those which are of obliga- 
tion, are printed in large capitals ; those of peculiar 
devotion in smaller ones ; the others in ordinary round 
type. 

Most of the movable feasts depend upon the feast of 
Easter, which is regulated by the full moon of the 
vernal equinox. A compendious table of these feasts 
is here affixed. The fiist Council of Nice, held in the 
year 325, decreed that the feast of Easter should be 
celebrated on the Sunday following the full moon, 
which falls either on the 21st of March, (which was 
looked upon, at that time, as the day of the equinox,) 
or on the days following, till the 18th of ApriL 
Hence, if the full moon fall on the 21st of March, and 
this be a Saturday, the next day will be Easter Sun- 
day. But if it fall on the 20th, this moon will not be 
considered the paschal moon : the next full moon only 
which will be on the 18th of April, can be reckoned 

7 



8 



THE ROMAN CALENDAR. 



such. Should this 18th of April be a Sunday, Easter 
would be the Sunday folio wing, or the 25 f h of April. 
Easter, then, can be no lai-er than tne 25th of April, 
nor earlier than the 22d of March. 

The Dominical letters are used to indicate the Sun- 
days throughout the year. They are seven in number 
corresponding to the seven days of the week, and are 
changed annually. In leap year, two are set down. 
The first indicates the Sundays till the 25th of Febru- 
ary — the other, during the remaining part of the year. 

The Golden Number is contained in a cycle of 19 
years. In this cycle, the new moons return, in a 
regular succession, to the same days in which they 
were in the preceding cycle. Hence the different 
numbers of the Epact, which ts used to designate the 
new moon, and to determine the rea^st of &astei , always 
correspond with the same golden numoers in every 
cycle. 



TABLE OF MOVABLE BEASTS. 



he Year of 1 
mr Lord. 1 


he Domin- I 
al Letter. 1 


he Golden 1 
Number. 


he Epact. | 


w - 

i£ ^ 

f * 


.... 

sh Wed- 
nesday. 


aster Sun- 1 
day. 1 










to - 




W 


1848 


b A 


6 


25 


Feb. 20 


March 8 


April 23 


18-49 


g 


7 


6 


Feb. 4 


Feb. 21 


April 8 


1850 


f 


8 


17 


Jan. 27 


Feb. 13 


March 31 


1851 


e 


9 


28 


Feb. 16 


March 5 


April 20 


1852 


dc 


10 


9 


Feb. 8 


Feb. 25 


April 11 


1853 


b 


11 


20 


Jan. 23 


Feb. 9 


March 27 


1854 


A 


12 


1 


Feb. 12 


March 1 


April 16 


1855 


? 


13 


12 


Feb. 4 


Feb. 21 


April 8 


1856 


f e 


14 


23 


Jan. 20 


Feb. 6 


March 23 


1857 


d 


15 


4 


Feb. 8 


Feb. 25 


April 12 


1858 


c 


16 


15 


Jan. 31 


Feb. 17 


April 4 


1859 


b 


17 


26 


Feb. 20 


March 9 


April 24 


1860 


V 


18 


7 


Feb. 5 


Feb. 22 


April 8 


1861 


f 


19 


18 


Jan. 27 


Feb. 13 


March 31 


1862 


e 


1 


* 


Feb. 16 


March 5 


April 20 


1863 


d 


2 


11 


Feb. 1 


Feb. 18 


April 5 


1864 


cb 


3 


22 


Jan. 24 


Feb. 10 


March 27 


1865 


A 


4 


3 


Feb. 12 


March 1 


April 16 


1866 


k 


5 


14 


Jan. 28 


Feb. 14 


April 1 


1867 


f 


6 


25 


Feb. 17 


March 6 


April 21 


1868 


ed 


7 


6 


Feb. 9 


Feb. 26 


April 12 


1869 


c 


8 


17 


Jan. 24 


Feb. 10 


March 28 


1870 


b 


9 


28 


Feb. 13 


March 2 


April 17 


1 871 


A 


1 
1U 


q 


Feb. 5 


T?oK 00 

r eo. 


Arvril Q 


1872 


i* 


11 


20 


Jan. 28 


Feb. 14 


March 31 


1873 


e 


12 


1 


Feb. 9 


Feb. 26 


April 13 


1874 


d 


13 


12 


Feb. 1 


Feb. 18 


April 5 


1875 


c 


14 


23 


Jan. 24 


Feb. 10 


March 28 


1876 


bA 


15 


4 


Feb. 13 


March 1 


April 16 


1877 


| 


16 


15 


Jan. 28 


Feb. 14 


April 1 


1878 


f 


17 


26 


Feb. 17 


March 6 


April 21 


1879 


e 


18 


7 


Feb. 9 


Feb. 26 


April 13 


1880 


dc 


19 


18 


Jan. 25 


Feb. 11 


March 28 







TABLE OF MOVABLE FEASTS. 



^ H 


nsion 
ay. 


t-Sun- 








idays R 
Pent. I 


3 93 
rr> > 










Li 
t_ : 


i 








w 

< 






c _c 
OO 




U 

w o 


1848 


June 1 


June 


11 


June 


22 


24 


Dec. 3 


1849 


May 17 


May 


27 


Tninp 


7 


26 


Dec. 2 


1850 


May 9 


May 


19 


Mav 


30 


27 


Dec. 1 


1851 


May 29 


June 


8 


June 


19 


24 


Nov. 30 


1852 


May 20 


May 


30 


June 


10 


25 


Nov. 28 


1853 


May 5 


May 


15 


May 


26 


27 


Nov. 27 


1854 


May 25 


June 


4 


June 


15 


25 


Dec. 3 


1855 


May 17 


May 


27 


June 


7 


26 


Dec. 2 


1856 


May 1 


May 


11 


May 


22 


28 


Nov. 30 


1857 


May 21 


May 


31 


June 


11 


25 


Nov. 29 


1858 


May 13 


May 


23 


June 


3 


26 


Nov. 28 


1859 


June 2 


June 


12 


June 


23 


23 


Nov. 27 


1860 


May 17 


May 


27 


June 


7 


26 


Dec. 2 


1861 


May 9 


May 


19 


May 


30 


27 


Dec. 1 


1862 


May 29 


June 


8 


June 


19 


24 


Nov. 30 


1863 


May 14 


May 


24 


Tnnp 


4 


26 


Nov. 29 


1864 


May 5 


May 


15 


Mav 


26 


27 


Nov. 27 


1865 


May 25 


June 


4 


June 


15 

j. \j 


25 


Dec. 3 


1866 


May 10 


May 


20 


Mav 




27 


Dec. 2 


1867 


May 30 


June 


9 


June 


20 


24 


Dec. 1 


1868 


May 21 


May 


31 


June 


11 


25 


Nov. 29 


1869 


May 6 


May 


16 


Mav 


27 


27 


Nov. 28 


1870 


May 26 


June 


5 


June 


16 


24 


Nov. 27 


1871 


May 18 


May 


28 


June 


8 


26 


Dec. 3 


1872 


May 9 


May 


19 


May 


30 


27 


Dec. 1 


1873 


l\/To ir OO 

iviay 4i4i 


June 


1 


June 


12 




Nov. 30 


1874 


May 14 


May 


24 


June 


4 


26 


Nov. 29 


1875 


May 6 


May 


16 


May 


27 


27 


Nov. 28 




May 25 


June 


4 


June 


15 


25 


Dec. 3 


1877 


May 10 


May 


20 


May 


31 


27 


Dec! 2 


1878 


May 30 


June 


9 


June 


20 


24 


Dec. 1 


1879 


May 22 


June 


1 


June 


12 


25 


Nov. 30 


1880 


May 6 

in 


May 


16 


May 


27 


27 


Nov. 28 



THE ROMAN CALENDAR. 



JANUARY. 



1 


A 


2 


b 


3 


c 


4 


d 


5 


e 


6 


f 


7 


sr 


8 A 


9 


b 


10 


s 


11 


d 


12 


e 


13 


f 


14 


g 


15 


A 


16 


b 


17 


c 


18 


d 


19 


e 


20 


f 


21 


g 


22 


A 


23 


b 


24 


c 


25 


d 


26 


e 


27 


f 


28 


g 


29 


A 


30 


b 


31 


c 



CIRCUMCISION OF OUR LORD. 

S. Fulgentius, Bishop and Confessor. 

S. Genevieve, Virgin. 

S. Titus, Bishop of Crete. 

S. Telesphorus, Pope and Martyr. 

EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD. 

S. Lucian, Priest and Martyr. 

S. Severinus, Bishop of Naples. 

SS. Julian and Basilla, Martyrs. 

S. William, Archbishop of Bourges. 

S. Hyginus, Pope and Martyr. 

S. Tatiana, Martyr. 

S. Veronica of Milan, Virgin. 

S. Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers. 

S. Paul, first Hermit. 

S. Marcellus, Pope and Martyr. 

S. Anthony, Abbot. 

Chair of St. Peter at Rome. 

S. Canute, King of Denmark, Martyr. 

SS. Fabian and Sebastian, Martyrs. 

S. Agnes, Virgin and Martyr. 

SS. Vincent and Anastasius, Martyrs. 

S. Raymond of Pennafort, Confessor. 

S. Timothy, Bishop and Martyr. 

Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle. 

S. Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr. 

S. John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor. 

S. Flavian, Martyr. 

S. Francis of Sales, Bishop. 

S. Martina, Virgin and Martyr. 

S. Peter Nolasco, Confessor. 



On the second Sunday after Epiphany, the most holy 

NAME OF JESUS. 



11 



THE ROMAN CALENDAR. 

.... ~— m i 

FEBRUARY. 



1 


d 


2 


e 


3 


f 


4 


g 


5 


A 


6 


b 


7 


c 


8 


d 


9 


e 


10 


f 


11 


g 


12 


A 


13 


b 


14 


c 


15 


d 


16 


e 


17 


f 


18 


g 


19 


A 


20 


b 


21 


c 


22 


d 


23 


e 


24 


f 


25 


g 


2G 


A 


27 


b 


28 


c 


29 


d 



S. Ignatius, Bishop and Martyr. 

Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary 

S. Blase, Bishop and Martyr. 

S. Andrew Corsini, Bishop. 

S. Agatha, Virgin and Martyr. 

S. Dorothy, Virgin and Martyr. 

S. Rcmuald, Abbot. , 

S. John of Matha, Confessor. 

S. Apollonia, Virgin and Martyr. 

S. Scholastica, Virgin. 

SS. Saturninus and his companions, Martyrs. 

S. Meletius, Bishop of Antioch, Confessor. 

S. Catharine of Ricci, Virgin. 

S. Valentine, Priest and Martyr. 

SS. Faustinus and Jovita, Martyrs. 

S. Onesimus, Bishop of Ephesus Martyr. 

S. Theodulus, Martyr. 

S. Simeon, Bishop of Jerusalem and Martyr. 

S. Mansuetus, Bishop of Milan and Confessor 

S. Eucherius, Bishop and Confessor. 

S. Severianus, Bishop and Martyr. 

Chair of St. Peter, at Antioch. 

(Vigil.) S. Peter Damian, Bishop and Doctor. 

S. Matthias, Apostle, in leap years on the 25ih. 

S. Felix, Pope and Confessor. 

S. Alexander, Bishop of Alexandria, Confessor. 

S. Leander, Bishop of Seville, Confessor. 

S. Romanus, Abbot. 

S. Oswald, Bishop of Worcester, Confessor 



12 



THE ROMAN CALENDAR. 



MARCH. 



1 


d 


2 


e 


3 


f 


4 


to 


5 


A 


6 


b 


7 


c 


8 


d 


9 


e 


10 


f 


11 


2f 

o 


12 


A 


13 


b 


14 


c 


15 


d 


16 


e 


17 


f 


18 




19 


A 


20 


b 


21 


c 


22 


d 


23 


e 


24 


f 


25 


g 


26 


A 


27 


b 


28 


c 


29 


d 


30 


e 


31 


f 



S. Albinus, Bishop and Confessor. 

S. Simplicius, Pope and Confessor. 

S. Cuneorindes, Virgin. 

S. Casimir, Confessor. 

S. Phocas, Martyr. 

SS. Victor and Companions, Martyrs. 

S. Thomas of Aquino, Confessor and Doctor. 

S. John of God, Confessor. 

S. Frances, Widow. 

The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste. 

S. Eulogius, Priest and Martyr. 

S. Gregory the^Great, Pope and Doctor. 

S. Euphrasia, Virgin. 

S. Mathilda, Widow. 

S. Longinus, Martyr. 

S. Abraham, Hermit. 

S. Patrick, Bishop, Apostle of Ireland. 

S. Edward, King of England, Martyr. 

S. Joseph, Spouse of the B. V. Mary. 

S. Cuthbert, Bishop and Confessor. 

S. Benedict, Abbot. 

S. Basil, Priest and Martyr. 

S. Turibius, Bishop of Lima, Confessor. 

S. Gabriel, Archangel. 

ANNUNCIATION OF THE B.V.MARY 

S. Ludger, Bishop and Confessor. 

S. John, Hermit. 

S. Guntran, King and Confessor. 

S. Cyrillus, Deacon and Martyr. 

S. John Climacus, Abbot. 

S. Balbina, Virgin. 



On Friday before Palm-Sunday, the Feast of the Com- 
passion of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 



2 



13 



THE ROMAN CALENDAR. 



APRIL. 



1 


g* 


2 


A 


3 


b 


4 


c 


5 


d 


6 


e 


7 


f 


8 


g 


9 


A 


10 


b 


11 


c 


12 


d 


13 


e 


14 


f 


15 


S 


16 


A 


17 


b 


18 


c 


19 


d 


20 


e 


21 


f 


22 


S 


23 A 


24 b 


25 


c 


261 d 


27 e 


28i f 


29 


S 


30 


A 



S. Hugh, Bishop of Grenoble, Confessor. 

S. Francis of Paula, Confessor. 

S. Richard, Bishop and Confessor. 

S. Isidore, Bishop of Seville, and Doctor. 

S. Vincent Ferrer, Confessor. 

S. Celestine I. Pope and Confessor. 

S. Hegesippus, Confessor. 

S. Dionysius, Bishop of Corinth. 

S. Mary Cleophas, Sister of the B. V. Mary. 

S. Macarius, Bishop of Antioch, Confessor. 

S. Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor. 

S. Victor, Martyr. 

S. Hermenegild, Martyr. 

SS. Tiburtius, Valerian, and Maximus, MM. 

SS. Basilissa and Anastasia, Martyrs. 

S. Lambert, Martyr. 

S. Anicetus, Pope and Martyr. 

S. Perfectus, Priest and Martyr. 

S. Timon, Deacon and Martyr. 

S. Agnes, Virgin. 

S. Anselm, Bishop of Canterbury and Doctor. 

SS. Soter and Cains, Popes and Martyrs. 

S. George, Martyr. 

S. Fidelis, Martyr. 

S. Mark, the Evangelist. 

SS. Cletus and Marcellinus, Popes and MM. 

S. John, Abbot and Confessor. 

S. Vitalis, Martyr. 

S. Peter, Martyr. 

S. Catharine of Sienna, Virgin. 



On the third Sunday after Easter, Patronage of St. 
Joseph. 



14 



THE ROMAN CALENDAR. 



MAY. 



1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30 
31 



S. Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, Doctor. 
Finding of the Holy Cross. 
S. Monica, Widow. 
S. Pius V, Pope and Confessor. 
S. John the Apostle, before the Latin Gate. 
S. Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr. 
Apparition of S. Michael, the Archangel. 
S. Gregory Nazianzen, Bishop and Doctor. 
S. Antoninus, Bishop of Florence, 
e |S. Mamertus, Bishop of Vienna, Confessor, 
f SS. Nereus and Achilleus, Martyrs, 
g S. John the Silent, Hermit. 
A S. Boniface, Martyr. 

b SS. Torquatus and his Companions, Martyrs, 
c S. Ubald, Bishop, 
d S. Paschal, Confessor, 
e S. Venantius, Martyr, 
f S. Peter Celestine, Pope, 
g S. Bernardin of Sienna, Confessor. 
A S. Valens, Bishop and Martyr, 
b S. John Nepomucen, Martyr, 
c iS. Desiderius, Bishop and Martyr, 
d :Feast of B. V. Mary, as Help of Christians, 
e jS. Gregory VII, Pope and Confessor, 
f |S. Philip of Neri, Confessor, 
g S. Mary Magdalen of Pazzi, Virgin. 
A S. Germanus, Bishop of Paris, Confessor, 
b S. Maximus, Bishop of Triers, Confessor. 
' c S. Felix, Pope and Martyr. S. Emily, 
d S. Petronilla, Virgin. 



On Friday next to the Octave of Corpus Christi, the 
Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 



15 



THE ROMAN CALENDAR. 



JUNE 



1 


e 


2 


f 


3 


cr 

o 

A 


4 


5 
6 


b 
c 


7 


d 


8 e 




f 


10 




11 


A 


12 


b 


13 


c 


141 d 



S. Pamphilus, Priest and Martyr. 
SS. Marcellus and Peter, Martyrs. 
S. Clotildis, Queen of France. 
S. Francis Caracciolo, Confessor. 
S. Boniface, Bishop, Apostle of Germany. 
S. Norbert, Bishop of Magdeburgh. 
S. Robert, Abbot. 

S. Medardus, Bishop and Confessor. 
SS. Primus and Felicianus, Martyrs. 
S. Margaret, Queen of Scotland. 
S. Barnabas, Apostle. 
S. John, A. S. Facundo, Confessor. 
S. Anthony of Padua, Confessor. 
S. Basil the Great, Bishop and Doctor. 
15| e j SS. Vitus, Modestus, and Crescentia, Martyrs, 
16 f S. John Francis Regis, Confessor. 
17 
IS 
19 
20 
•21 
22 
•23 
•21 
•25 



g|S. Avitus, Priest and Confessor. 
AjSS. Marcus and Marcellianus, Martyrs, 
b |S. Juliana of Falconieri, Virgin, 
c S. Silverius, Pope and Martyr, 
d iS. Aloysius Gonzaga, Confessor, 
e jS. Paulinus, Bishop of Nola. 
f S. Agrippina, Virgin and Martyr, 
g Nativity of S. John the Baptist. 
A S. William, Abbot. 
26 b jSS. John and Paul, Martyrs. 
27| c IS. Crescent, Bishop and Martyr. 
23 d ;S. Leo II, Pope and Confessor. Vigil. 

29 e |SS. Peter and Paul, Apostles. 

30 f Commemoration of St. Paul. 



16 



THE ROMAN CALENDAR. 



1 


S 


2 


A 


3 


b 


4 


c 


5 


d 


6 


e 


/ 


I 


8 


S 


9 


A 


10 


b 


11 


c 


12 


d 


13 


e 


14 


f 


15 


S 


16 


A 


17 


b 


18 


c 


19 


d 


20 


e 


21 


f 


22 


S 


23 


A 


24 


b 


25 


c 


26 


d 


27 


e 


28 


f 


29 


g 


30 


A 


31 


b 



JULY. 

Octave of S. John the Baptist. 

Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

SS. Eulogius and his companions, Martyrs. 

S. Flavian, Bishop of Antioch. 

S. Athanasius, Deacon, Martyr. 

Octave of SS. Peter and Paul. 

S. Benedict XI, Pope and Confessor. 

S. Elizabeth, Queen of Portugal. 

S. Cy rill us, Bishop of Gortyna, Martyr. 

The Seven Brethren, Martyrs. 

S. Pius I, Pope and Martyr. 

S. John Gualbert, Abbot. 

S. Anacletus, Pope and Martyr. 

S. Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor. 

S. Henry, Emperor, Confessor. 

B. Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel. 

S. Alexius, Confessor. 

S. Camillus of Lellis, Confessor. 

S. Vincent of Paul, Confessor. 

S. Jerom iEmilian, Confessor. 

S. Praxedes, Virgin. 

S. Mary Magdalen. 

S. Apollinaris, Bishop and Martyr. 

S. Christina, Virgin and Martyr. 

S. James the Apostle. 

S. Ann, Mother of the Blessed Virgin. 

S. Pantaleon, Martyr. 

SS. Nazarius, Celsus, and others, Martyrs. 

S. Martha, Virgin. 

SS. Abdon and Sennen, Martyrs. 

S. Ignatius, Founder of the Society of Jesus. 



2* 



17 



THE ROMAN CALENDAR. 



AUGUST, 



1 


c 


2 


d 


3 


e 


4 


f 


5 


g 


6 


A 


7 


b 


8 


c 


9 


d 


10 


e 


11 


f 


12 


g 


13 


A 


14 


b 


15 


c 


1(3 


d 


17 


e 


13 


f 


19 


cr 

B 


20 


A 


21 


b 


22 


c 


23 


d 


24 


e 


25 


f 


26 


g 


27 


A 


28 


b 


29 


c 


30 


d 


31 


e 



S. Peter's Chains. 

S. Alphonsus M. Liguori, Bishop. 

Finding of the Relics of S. Stephen, first Martyr 

S. Dominick, Confessor. 

Dedication of S. Mary, ad Nives. 

Transfiguration of our Lord. 

S. Cajetan, Confessor. 

SS. Cyriacus, Largus, and Smaragdus, Martyrs 

S. Romanus, Martyr. 

S. Lawrence, Martyr. 

SS. Tiburtius and Susanna, Martyrs. 

S. Clara, Virgin. 

SS. Hippolytus and Cassianus, Martyrs. 

S. Eusebius, Confessor. — Vigil with Fast. 

ASSUMPTION OF THE B. V. MARY. 

S. Hyacinthus, Confessor. 

Octave of S. Lawrence. 

S. Helen, Mother of Constantine the Great. 

S. Lewis, Bishop of Toulouse, Confessor. 

S. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor. 

S. Jane Frances de Chantai, Widow. 

Octave of the Assumption. 

S. Philip Beniti, Confessor. 

S. Bartholomew, Apostle. 

S. Lewis, King of France, Confessor. 

S. Zephyrinus, Pope and Martyr. 

S. Joseph Calasanctius, Confessor. 

S. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor. 

Beheading of S. John the Baptist. 

S. Rose of Lima, Virgin. 

S. Raymund Nonnatus, Confessor. 



On the Sunday within the Cctave of the Assumption, 
the Feast of S. Joachim, the Father of the Blessed 
Virgin Mary. 

18 



THE ROMAN CALENDAR. 



SEPTEMBER. 



1 

1 


c 
I 


z 


g 


o 
o 


i 

A 


4 


b 





c 


o 


j 

Q 


7 


e 


o 


i 


Q 


g 




A 


1 1 
1 1 


L 




12 


c 


lo 


J 

a 


1 A 

14 


e 




f 
i 


lb 


g 


17 


i 

A 


1 o 
lo 


D 


iy 


C 




(1 


21 


e 


22 


f 


23 


g 


24 


A 


25 


b 


26 


c 


27 


d 


28 


e 


29 


f 


30 


g 



S. Giles. Abbot. 

S. Stephen, King of Hungary, Confessor. 
S. Simeon Stylites, Confessor. 
S. Rosalia, Virgin. 

S. Lawrence Justinian, Bishop of Venice. 

S. Onesiphorus, Martyr. 

S. Regina, Virgin and Martyr. 

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

S. Gorgonius, Martyr. 

S. Nicholas Tolentine, Confessor. 

SS. Protus and Hyacinthus, Martyrs. 

S. Juventius, Bishop and Doctor. 

S. Amatus, Abbot. 

Exaltation of the Holy Cross. 

S. Nicodemus, Martyr. 

SS. Cornelius and Cyprian, Bishops and MM. 

Stigmata of S. Francis. 

S. Joseph of Cupertino, Confessor. 

SS. Januarius, Bishop, and companions, MM. 

SS. Eustachius and his companions, Martyrs. 

S. Matthew, Apostle. 

S. Thomas of Villanova, Confessor. 

S. Linus, Pope and Martyr. 

Festival of the B. Virgin Mary, de Mercede. 

S. Cjeophas, Martyr. 

SS. Cyprian and Justina, Martyrs. 

SS. Cosmas and Damian, Martyrs. 

S. Wenceslaus, Duke of Bohemia, Martyr. 

S. Michael the Archangel. 

S. Jerom, Priest and Doctor. 



On the Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity, the 
Feast of the Holy Name of Mary; and the Sunday 
following, the Feast of the Seven Dolors. 



13 



THE ROMAN CALENDAR. 



OCTOBER. 



1 

2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30 
31 



A S. Remigius, Bishop of Rheims. 
b The Holy Guardian Angels. 
c S. Candidus, Martyr, 
d S. Francis of Assisium, Confessor, 
e SS. Placidus and companions, Martyrs, 
f S. Bruno, Confessor, 
g S. Mark, Pope and Confessor. 
A S. Bridget, Widow, 
b S. Dionysius and companions, Martyrs, 
c S. Francis Borgia, Confessor, 
d S. Germanus, Bishop and Martyr, 
e S. Wilfrid, Bishop and Confessor, 
f S. Edward, King of England, Confessor, 
g S. Callistus, Pope and Martyr. 
A S. Teresa, Virgin. 

S. Lullus, Bishop of Mentz. 
S. Hedwiges, Widow. 
S. Luke the Evangelist. 
S. Peter of Alcantara, Confessor. 
S. John Cantius, Confessor. 
S. Hilarion, Abbot. 
AjS. Mark, Bishop of Jerusalem, Martyr, 
b S. Ignatius, Bishop of Constantinople, Martyr, 
c |S. Raphael, the Archangel, 
d SS. Chrysanthus and Daria, Martyrs, 
e S. Evaristus, Pope and Martyr, 
f jS. Flarentinus, Martyr, 
g SS. Simon and Jude, Apostles. 
A|S. Theodorus, Abbot, 
b jS. Serapion, Bishop and Confessor, 
c SS. Nemesiusand Lucillus, MM. Vigil. Fast 



The first Sunday of October, the Feast of the Holy 
Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 



20 



THE ROMAN CALENDAR. 
NOVEMBER. 



1 


d 


2 


e 


3 


f 


4 


8 


5 


A 


6 


b 


7 


c 


8 


d 


9 


e 


10 


f 


11 


g 


12 


A 


13 


b 


14 


c 


15 


d 


16 


e 


17 


f 


18 


i 


19 


A 


20 


b 


21 


c 


22 


d 


23 


e 


24 


f 


25 


g 


26 


A 


27 


b 


28 


c 


29; d 


30 


e 



FEAST OF ALL SAINTS. 

Commemoration of all Souls. 

S. Malacby, Bishop of Armagh. 

S. Charles Borromeo, Bishop and Confessor. 

S. Elizabeth, Mother of S. John the Baptist. 

S. Leonard, Hermit. 

S. Engelbert, Bishop and Martyr. 

Octave of all Saints. 

Dedication of the Lateran Church. 

S. Andrew Avellino, Confessor. 

S. Martin, Bishop of Tours. 

S. Martin, Pope and Martyr. 

S. Didacus, Confessor. 

S. Stanislaus Kostka, Confessor. 

S. Gertrude, Virgin. 

S. Edmund, Bishop and Confessor. 

S. Gregory Thaumaturgus', Bishop. 

Dedication of Churches of SS. Peter and Paul. 

S. Elizabeth of Hungary, Widow. 

S. Felix of Valois, Confessor. 

Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

S. Caecilia, Virgin and Martyr. 

S. Clement, Pope and Martyr. 

S. John of the Cross, Confessor. 

S. Catharine, V irgin and Martyr. 

S. Peter, Bishop of Alexandria. 

S. Severinus, Hermit. 

S. Gregory III, Pope and Confessor. 

S. Satu minus, Martyr. 

S. Andrew the Apostle. 



The first Sunday of Advent is the next after the 26th 
day of November. 

i ■mil I n i ii iiiii i' ii m i i : iiMMw— • 

21 



THE ROMAN CALENDAR. 



DECEMBER. 



1 

2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30 
31 



f S. Eligius, Bishop and Confessor, 

g S. Bibiana, Virgin and Martyr. 

A S. Francis Xavier, Confessor. 

b S. Peter Chrysologus, Bishop and Doctor. 

c S. Sabbas, Abbot. 

d S. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra. 

e S. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, Doctor. 

f Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.* 

g S. Leocadia, Virgin and Martyr. 

A S. Melchiades, Pope and Martyr. 

b S. Damasus, Pope and Martyr. 

c S. Synesrus, Martyr. 

d S. Lucy, Virgin and Martyr. 

e S. Spiridion, Bishop and Confessor. 

f Octave of the Conception of the B. V. Mary. 

g S. Eusebius, Bishop and Martyr. 

A S. Olympias, Widow. 

b Expectation of the Delivery of the B. V. Mary. 

c S. Timothy, Deacon and Martyr. 

d S. Dominick, Abbot. 

e S. Thomas, the Apostle. 

f S. Ischirion, Martyr. 

g S. Victoria, Virgin and Martyr. 

A Vigil with Fast. 

b NATIVITY OF OUR LORD. S. Eugenia. 

c S. Stephen, first Martyr. 

d S. John, Apostle and Evangelist. 

e I Holy Innocents. 

f S. Thomas, Bishop of Canterbury, Martyr, 
g S. Sabinus, Bishop, and companions, Martyrs. 
A S. Sylvester, Pope and Confessor. 



* The B. V. Mary "conceived without sin," is the 
patroness of the U. States. The feast of the Concep- 
tion is solemnized on the Sunday within the octave. 



22 



ST. VINCENT'S MANUAL. 



HOLYDAYS, &c. 

HOLYDAYS OF OBLIGATION. 

The Circumcision of our Lord. — The Epiphany. — The 
Annunciation of the B. Virgin. — The Ascension. — Corpus 
Christi, or the Feast of the blessed Sacrament. — The As- 
sumption of the B. Virgin. — All Saints. — The Nativity of 
our Lord. 

N. B. 1. Sundays, and the feasts which fall on them, 
are not included in this enumeration. 

2. In the diocesses of New Orleans, St. Louis, Mobile, 
Vincennes, Dubuque, Little Rock, and Chicago, the Cir- 
cumcision, Epiphany, Annunciation, and Corpus Chris- 
ti, are not festivals of obligation. 

FASTING-DAYS. 

Fridays in Advent. — Everyday in Lent, Sundays ex- 
cepted.— The Ember-days, which occur four times in the 
year, viz. — the Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays — 
1. Immediately after the first Sunday in Lent. 2. In 
Whitsun-week. 3. Immediately after the 14th of Septem- 
ber. 4. Immediately after the third Sunday of Advent. 
The Vigils of Whit- Sunday, of the Assumption, of all 
Saints, and of Christmas. , 

N. B. 1. When a fasting-day falls upon a Sunday, it is 
kept on the Saturday preceding that Sunday. To fast, con- 
sists in abstaining from flesh-meat, and eating but one full 
meal in the day, not before 12 o'clock, M. Besides this, 
a collation, or about the one-fourth of a meal, is allowed 
in the evening. All who have completed their twenty-first 
year are obliged to observe the fasis of the Church, un- 
less exempted for some legitimate cause. 

2. In the above-mentioned Western diocesses, the Fri 

23 



24 



BAYS OF ABSTINENCE, ETC. 



day of the Ember-days is the only Friday in Advent on 
which there is an obligation to fast. 

DAYS OF ABSTINENCE. 

All Fridays and Saturdays, except those Saturdays 
which fall between the 25th of December and the 2d of 
February, inclusively, and all the Sundays in Lent. When 
. Christmas falls on a Friday, abstinence is not of precept. 

N. B. A day of abstinence is- that on which we are not 
allowed to eat flesh-meat. All who have attained the age 
of reason, are obliged to observe the abstinence commanded 
by the Church. Dispensation to eat flesh-meat on all 
Saturdays 44 not restricted by a fast," was granted by his 
Holiness Pope Gregory XVI., for ten years, from the 22d 
of June, 1833. This dispensation was lately renewed for 
twenty years longer. 

• 

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 

1. I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the 
land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt 
not have strange gods before me. Thou shalt not make to 
thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any thing that 
that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of 
those things that are in the waters under the earth. Thou 
shalt not adore them nor serve them. 

2. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in 
vain. 

3. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day. 

4. Honor thy father and thy mother. 

5. Thou shalt not kill. 

6. Thou shalt not commit adultery. 

7. Thou shalt not steal. 

8. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neigh- 
bor. 

9. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife. 

10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods. 

— ♦ 

COMMANDMENTS OF THE CHURCH. 

1. The Catholic Church commands her children, on 
Sundays and holydays of obligation, to be present at the 



EXPLANATION OF FESTIVALS. 



25 



holy sacrifice of mass, to rest from servile work on those 
days, and to keep them holy. 

2. She commands them to abstain from flesh on all days of 
fasting and abstinence ; and on fast days to eat but one meal. 

3. She commands them to confess their sins to their 
pastor at least once a year. 

4. She commands them to receive the blessed sacra- 
ment at least once a year, and that at Easter or during the 
paschal time, which begins on the first Sunday of Lent, 
and ends on Trinity Sunday inclusively. 

5. To contribute to the support of our pastors. 

6. Not to marry within the fourth degree of kindred, 
nor privately without witnesses ; nor to solemnize marriage 
at certain prohibited times. 

N. B. 1. The fourth council of Lateran, Can. 21, or- 
dains, " That every one of the faithful of both sexes, after 
they come to the years of discretion, shall, in private, faith- 
fully confess all their sins, at least once a year, to their 
own pastor ; and take care to fulfil, to the best of their 
power, the penance enjoined them ; receiving reverently, 
at least at Easter, the sacrament of the Eucharist, unless, 
perhaps, by the counsel of their own pastor, for some rea- 
sonable cause, they judge proper to abstain from it for a 
time : otherwise let them be excluded out of the Church 
whilst living ; and when they die, be deprived of Christian 
burial.'; 

2. The solemnizing of Marriage is forbidden, from the 
first Sunday of Advent, till after twelfth day ; and from 
the beginning of Lent till Low Sunday. 

- — ♦ 

EXPLANATION OF THE 

SUNDAYS AND PRINCIPAL FESTIVALS OF THE 
YEAR. 

FEASTS IN GENERAL. 

Though there is no day which the Christian should not 
spend in a holy manner, by abstaining from sin and doing 
good works; he is, nevertheless, obliged to sanctify more 
particularly certain days which God reserves to himself 
and the Church sets apart for that purpose. These days 
are Sundays and Holydays. 

3 



26 



EXPLANATION OF FESTIVALS. 



The Sunday or the Lord's day, is that on which God 
commenced the creation of the world, and on which our 
Saviour rose from the dead. It is kept by Christians in 
lieu of the Sabbath, which the Israelites celebrated on 
Saturday, because God rested on that day, after having 
created the world. 

The Church has likewise thought proper to impose on 
her children the obligation of sanctifying other days in the 
year, in honor of the mysteries of our redemption, or to 
commemorate the eminent virtues of the Blessed Virgin 
and the Saints, and to place before us their admirable ex- 
ample. 

The sanctiflcation of those days consists, 1st, in abstain- 
ing from servile work, from all commerce and manual 
labor, which is not necessary for the worship of God and 
the support of life; 2d, in returning to God by penance, 
cleansing our conscience, receiving the Sacraments, and 
performing other duties of religion. Among these duties, 
that of assisting at the holy sacrifice of Mass is the prin- 
cipal, and is binding under pain of mortal sin, unless sick- 
ness or some other important reason dispense us from this 
obligation. Though a person may be said to obey to the 
letter the precept of the Church, by hearing Mass, it is 
certainly a great abuse to restrict to this point only, the 
whole sanctiflcation which the law of God prescribes. To 
be satisfied with assisting at low Mass, without performing 
any other act of religion, as many Christians do, is to go 
against the spirit of the Church in that particular com- 
mandment, to disobey other commandments she has im- 
posed, and not to satisfy the commandments of God. 



PARTICULAR FESTIVALS. 

New Year's Day. — On this day, which is the first of 
the year, the Church celebrates the octave of the Nativity 
of our Lord, his circumcision, and the blessed name of 
Jesus which was given him on that occasion. The devout 
Christian, therefore, will find much to occupy him, in again 
adoring Jesus Christ in the humiliation of his birlh, in con- 
templating that infinite love for man which he already 
manifests by the effusion of his blood, and in renewing 
his confidence in the mercy and goodness of Him who 
takes the name of Saviour, because he is to save us from 



4 



EXPLANATION OF FESTIVALS. 27 

sin and hell. He should also look back with regret upon 
the past years of his life, and form a generous resolution 
to employ more profitably the year which has just com- 
menced, imploring for that purpose the light and grace of 
the Holy Ghost. 

Epiphany. — The Church commemorates on this feast 
three different mysteries, in which Jesus Christ made 
himself known to man and manifested his glory; the ado- 
ration paid him by the Wise Men of the East, the baptism 
he received from Saint John, and the first miracle wrought 
by him at Cana of Galilee, by changing water into wine. 
She dwells, however, more particularly on the first of 
these mysteries, and exhorts us to imitate the example of 
. the magi, the first fruits of the Gentiles converted to the 
faith, by offering to him the gold of pure and ardent charity, 
the incense of fervent prayer, and the myrrh of penance 
and seif-denial, without which we are Christians only in 
name. 

Septuagesima, Sexagesima, and Quinquagesima Sun- 
days, are days set apart by the Church for acts of penance 
and mortification, and are a certain gradation or prepara- 
tion to the devotion of Lent, being more proper and imme- 
diate to the passion and resurrection of Christ ; taking their 
numeral denominations from their being about seventy, 
sixty, and fifty days before Easter. 

Shrovetide signifies the time of confession ; for our an- 
cestors used to say, we will go shrift; and in the more 
primitive times, it was the custom of all good Christians 
then to confess their sins to a priest, the better to prepare 
themselves for a holy observance of Lent, and worthy re- 
ceiving of the blessed sacrament at Easter. 
► Ash- Wednesday, a da/ of public penance and humilia- 
tion through the whole Church of God ; so called from the 
ceremony of blessing ashes, wherewith the priest signs the 
people with the cross on their foreheads, giving them this 
wholesome admonition, Remember, man, that dust thou art. 
and unto dust thou shalt return, Gen. ii 9, to remind 
them of their mortality, and prepare them for the holy fast 
of Lent, which begins on this day ; the ashes are made of 
the palms blessed the Palm Sunday before. 

Lent. — The object of the Church in establishing the 
fast of Lent, which, according to the most ancient tradi- 
tion, is of apostolical institution, was to instruct her chil- 
dren in the obligation of doing penance during their whole 



28 EXPLANATION OF FESTIVALS. 



life, and prepare them to celebrate the resurrection of 
Jesus Christ, by making them partake in some degree of 
his sufferings through which it was necessary for him to 
pass, before he entered into his glory. 

All those v/ho have completed one and twenty years are 
obliged to abstain from flesh-meat every day in Lent ; and 
every day, Sundays excepted, they are obliged also to fast. 
This fast consists in eating but one full meal in the day, 
and that, not before twelve o'clock. If besides this repast, 
we are allowed towards evening, what is commonly called 
a collation, we should remember that it ought not to ex- 
ceed more than one-fourth of an ordinary meal ; because 
the intention of the Church in permitting this refection is 
not so much to grant the indulgence of an additional re- 
past, as to use the necessary precaution to ward off sick- 
ness and prevent weakness. Milk, except to color tea or 
coffee, e£gs and warm fish are prohibited at the collation. 

The sick, women with child or who give suck, they who 
are under infirmities, who are advanced in years, or whom 
painful or laborious occupation will not permit to fast with- 
out great prejudice to their health, are dispensed from 
fasting. But more important reasons are required for an 
exemption from the law of abstinence than for a dispensa- 
tion from the fast. Every little head-ache, want of sleep, 
or other transient and inconsiderable indisposition, are not 
sufficient reasons to justify either one or the . other. To 
act prudently and with a safe conscience in this matter, 
we should always consult the clergyman who is charged 
with our spiritual welfare, and follow his advice. 

If the bishop of the diocese grants a general dispensation 
to eat flesh-meat at our meal on certain days in the week, 
those days do not, on that account, cease to be fasting 
days ; and it should be further observed that fish and meat 
are not allowed to be taken at the same meal. 

Besides this obligation of penance, there is another duty 
incumbent on the Christian, during the time of Lent, from 
which no one can plead an exemption. To fast spiritually, 
by avoiding sin and the occasions of it, by combating our 
bad habits and restraining the passions ; to expiate our 
offences ; to bring forth worthy fruits of penance ; to give 
alms; to offer frequent prayer to God; all these things 
are equally necessary to those who fast, and those who 
are dispensed from fasting. 

Passion Sunday, — So called from the Passion of Christ, 



EXPLANATION OF FESTIVALS. 



29 



is intended to prepare us more particularly for the com- 
memoration of that important event. On the evening pre* 
vious, the crucifixes and pictures in the Churches are 
covered with purple, to give them a more solemn and 
mournful appearance, and likewise to represent the pri- 
vacy of our Divine Saviour before his passion. 

Palm Sunday takes its name from the ceremony per- 
formed on this day of blessing palms or other green boughs, 
after which a procession is made to honor the triumphant 
entry of our Saviour into Jerusalem, five days before his 
crucifixion. Like the faithful people who payed their sin- 
cere homage to Jesus Christ, and received him with ac- 
clamations and heartfelt joy, we should welcome him to 
our souls, adore him as our supreme Lord and Master, 
and entreat him to come and reign in our hearts, by sub- 
jecting them to the maxims of the gospel. This is the 
first day of the Holy Week, which is consecrated to the 
special commemoration of our divine Saviour's sufferings 
and deaih. At mass, the history of the passion is recited 
or sung. When circumstances permit, the passion is 
chanted by three clergymen, one of whom takes the part 
of the evangelist or narrator, another that of the syna- 
gogue, a r :d the third, that of Jesus Christ. 

On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of Holy Week, 
the office of Tenzbras, which consists of the Matins and 
Lauds of the last three days, is recited or chanted ; during 
which fourteen yellow lights, mounted on a triangular 
candlestick, are extinguished, one by one, after each 
psalm, leaving only the white one at the summit, lighted. 
Also, at the end of every second verse of the Benedictus, 
one of the lights on the altar is put out, till all are ex- 
tinguished. This extinction of the lights typifies the 
abandonment of our Divine Saviour during his passion. 
He is represented by the white candle at the top of the 
candlestick, which during the miserere is taken from the 
triangular stand, and concealed behind the altar, until a 
slight noise is made at the end of the office, intended to 
signify the convulsed state of nature at the death of Christ, 
when it is brought forth again, and replaced on the candle- 
stick from which it was taken, to remind us that the 
divinity of our Lord was never separated from his hu- 
manity. 

Maundy- Thursday, in memory of our Lord's last sup- 
per, when he instituted the blessed sacrament of his pre- 

3* 



33 



EXPLANATION OF FESTIVALS. 



cious body and blood, so called from tbe first word of the 
anthem, Mondatum, &c. (John xiii 34.) 1 give you a new 
command, that you love one another, as 1 have loved you ; 
which is sung on that day in the Church, when the pre- 
lates begin the ceremony of washing the people's feet, in 
imitation of Christ's washing those of his disciples, before 
he instituted that blessed sacrament. On Maundy-Thurs- 
day but one mass is said, that of the Holy Eucharist, as 
an expression of joy and gratitude for that holy institution, 
though its special commemoration is deferred to another 
time, the Church being wholly occupied during Holy 
Week with the passion of Christ. During the Gloria, the 
bells are rung, after which they are silent until the same 
part of the mass on Holy Saturday, to honor the silence 
of our Saviour during his passion, and express the mourn- 
ing of the Church for the death of her divine Spouse. At 
the mass of this day, the bishop consecrates the holy oils, 
which are used in the administration of the sacraments. 
After mass, the sacred host, consecrated for the office of 
the following day, is carried in procession to a repository 
prepared for its reception, which is handsomely decorated, 
and the faithful there visit our Lord in thanksgiving for 
the inestimable blessings conferred by the institution of 
the Holy Eucharist. The blessed Sacrament is removed 
from the principal altar, which is also divested of all its 
usual ornaments, to represent the destitution of our Sa- 
viour in his passion, and the grief of the Church in recall- 
ing his sufferings. 

Good Friday. — Christ crucified is the great object that 
engrosses the attention of the Church on this day, and 
for this end she reads such lessons and tracts as relate to 
the mystery of redemption. The passion is sung in the 
morning-office, and prayers are offered up for all sorts of 
persons, to show that none are excluded from the suffrages 
of the Church, since Jesus Christ offered himself a victim 
for the sins of all mankind. Next, the clergy and laity 
adore Jesus Christ crucified, which they express by the 
veneration paid to the cross. After this ceremony, the 
sacred host is brought from the repository to the altar, and 
the service is concluded by the priest's receiving the divine 
victim that was slain on this day. 

Holy Saturday. — The Tembra, or Matins, with the 
other canonical hours for this day, are consecrated to the 
memory of our Lord in his sepulchre ; at Mass, he is 



EXPLANATION OF FESTIVALS. 



31 



represented to the faithful as coming out of the grave, and 
triumphing over death by his resurrection. The word 
Night, used in the benediction of the Paschal Candle, in 
the collect of the Mass, in the Preface and Commu?tica?ites, 
shows that the office and Mas3. now said in the middle of 
the day, were formerly said in the following night, to 
honor the time of our Saviour's resurrection, which hap- 
pened in this night. 

The altars deprived of their ornaments on Maundy- 
Thursday, are again clothed with them, and a new Fire is 
blessed, to illuminate them. The office begins with light- 
ing a Triple Candle, which is emblematic of the Light of 
Christ, and signifies that the faith of the Blessed Trinity 
proceeds from the light communicated to us by Christ 
risen from the dead. The Paschal Candle, blessed in the 
next place by the Deacon, is a figure of the body of Jesus 
Christ, and not being lighted at first, represents him dead ; 
and the five blessed grains of incense fixed in it denote the 
aromatic spices that embalmed him in the sepulchre. The 
lighting of the Paschal Candle, is a representation of his 
rising again to a new life ; and the lighting of the lamps, 
and other candles afterwards, teaches the iaithful, that the 
resurrection of the Head will be followed by that of the 
members. 

After this ceremony, the Church disposes the catechu- 
mens for a worthy receiving of baptism ; for which pur- 
pose she reads twelve lessons out of the Old Testament, 
called Prophecies, and after each says a solemn prayer ; by 
both of which she not only instructs them in the effects 
and fruit of that sacrament, but begs for them, of Almighty 
God, all the advantages of it. The Church could not 
have appointed a more suitable time for the solemn admin- 
istration of baptism, which is a lively representation of 
our Lord's resurrection. As he was laid in the sepulchre 
truly dead, and came out again truly alive ; so the sinner 
is buried in the baptismal water, as in a mystical grave, 
and is taken out again animated with a new life of grace. 
For we are buried together with him by baptism unto death , 
that as Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the 
Father, so we aho may walk in newness of life. Rom. vi 4. 

Before the administration of the Sacrament, the Bap- 
tismal font is blessed with ceremonies that are full of 
mysteries. 1. The Priest divides the water in the form 
of a cross, to teach us that it confers grace and sanctity 



32 EXPLANATION OF FESTIVALS. 



by the merits of Christ crucified. 2. He touches the water 
with his hand, praying that it may be free from all im- 
pressions of evil spirits. 3. He signs it thrice with the 
6ign of the cross, to bless it in the name of the Holy 
Trinity. 4. He separates it with his hand, and casts out 
some of it towards the four parts of the world, to instruct 
us, that the grace of baptism, like the rivers of Paradise, 
flows all over the earth. 5. He breathes thrice upon it in 
the form of a cross, desiring God to bless it with the in- 
fusion of his Holy Spirit, that it may receive the virtue 
of sanctifying the soul. 6. He plunges the Paschal Can- 
dle thrice into it, praying that the Holy Ghost may descend 
upon it, as he did at the baptism of Christ in the waters 
of Jordan. 7. He mixes holy oil and chrism with it, to 
signify that baptism consecrates us to God. and gives 
spiritual strength to wrestle with, and overcome all the 
enemies of our soul. 

After the benediction of the font, the Sacrament of bap- 
tism is solemnly administered to such as are prepared for 
it ; and then the Litany and Mass are sung, to obtain of 
God. that the new baptized may persevere in the grace 
they have received. Incense is used at the Gospel, to 
represent the perfumes carried by the women to our Sa- 
viour's monument ; but no lights are carried, as at other 
times, because they and the apostles did not yet believe 
his resurrection; for which reason also the Creed is not 
said. The offertory, the kiss of peace, and the antiphon, 
called the Communion, are omitted, because the faithful 
did not receive the Blessed Eucharist at this Mass, but 
waited till Easter-day. 

Easter Sunday. — The Church has always considered 
this the first and most solemn of the festivals which she 
celebrates. The passion of our Lord is commemorated with 
tears and works of penance, only to celebrate the more 
joyfully the mystery of the resurrection; for, as St. Paul 
teaches us, this mystery is the foundation of Christianity. 
Jesus Christ directed the attention of his adversaries, in 
a special manner, to this great event, as a proof of his 
heavenly mission and his divine character. Hence the 
apostle says: "If Christ be not risen again, your faith 
is vain." But having risen from the dead, he has 
proved the truth of his declarations. His teachings are 
from God, and faith in him is the only means of salva- 
tion. The festival of Easter is also emphatically styled 



EXPLANATION OF FESTIVALS. 



33 



by the Church the "day which. the Lord hath made," it 
being the day of his triumph over the power of his ene- 
mies and the darkness of the tomb. The principal dis- 
position of the devout Christian, in commemorating the 
glorious event of Christ's resurrection from the dead, 
consists in renewing his faith in the truths of religion, 
his hopes to share one day in the glory of his Saviour, 
and his charitv, by rising to a life of fervor in the service 
of God. 

Low- Sunday, in Latin Dominica in albis, is the oc- 
tave of Easter-day, and so called from the catechumens 1 
white garments, emblems of innocence and joy, which 
they put on at their baptism, and solemnly put off this 
day. 

Ascension-day, (a feast of obligation.) solemnized in 
memory of Christ's glorious ascension into heaven on the 
fortieth day after his resurrection, in the sight of his apos- 
tles and disciples. (Acts i 9,) for which reason the paschal 
candle at the end of the gospel is taken away to signify the 
e&me. The faithful Christian should then detach himselfi 
from the earth, sigh after the happiness of heaven, which 
was opened to him on this day, and invoke upon himself, 
by fervent prayer, the grace to overcome every difficulty 
in the way of salvation. 

Whit-Sunday, or Pentecost, a solemn feast in memory 
and honor of the descent of the Holy Ghost on the heads 
of the apostles, in the shape of tongues of fire. (Acts ii 3.) 
Pentecost in Greek signifies the fiftieth, it being the fiftieth 
day after the resurrection ; and it is called Whit- Sunday, 
from the catechumens being anciently clothed in white, 
and admitted on the eve of this feast to the sacrament of 
Baptism. The old Saxons called it Whit- Sunday, i. e. 
Holy Sunday. On this feast we should ask to be ourselves 
filled with the Spirit of God, which will enable us to ob- 
tain the victory over our passions, over the world, and all 
our spiritual enemies. 

Trinity Sunday. — To celebrate with fruit the festival 
established in honor of the Most Blessed Trinity, the Chris- 
tian should make a renewal of his faith in this mystery, 
return fervent thanks to the adorable persons of the God- 
head for the many graces and blessings he has received 
irom them, and resolve to accompany, with an interior 
spirit of religion, the invocation of the Blessed Trinity, by 
which we have been taught, from our infancy, to com- 



\ 

34 EXPLANATION OF FESTIVALS. 

mence and terminate our actions in the name of the Father, 
6lc. 

Corpus Christi. — This feast was established to com- 
memorate the* institution of the adorable sacrifice and sacra- 
ment, in which Jesus Christ has vouchsafed to perpetuate 
in the Church his oblation on Calvary, and to nourish our 
eouls with his precious body and blood. The duty of a 
Christian then, on this day, and during the octave, is to 
reanimate his faith in the mystery of the real presence, to 
frequent the holy sacrifice, to visit the Blessed Sacrament, 
and particularly to receive the holy Communion. 

Advent. — Advent is a season of penance set apart by 
the Church to prepare us for the festival of Christmas. It is 
her desire that on that day, our dear Saviour should be 
born anew in our souls, by an increase of grace, and by 
the formation of our life upon his example. In order to 
this, the Christian should watch, pray, and do penance. 
He should suffer no day to pass without grieving tor his 
eins, and imploring the grace of him who alone can deliver 
him from them. 

Ember-Days. — The four ember- weeks in the year, are 
times of public prayer, fasting, and procession, partly in- 
etituted for the successful ordination of priests and other 
ministers of the Church ; which is commonly performed at 
those seasons ; and partly to thank God for the fruits of 
the earth and implore a continuance of them. Ember-day 
derives its name from the ancient religious custom of eat- 
ing nothing on those days till night, and then only a cake 
baked under the embers, called ember-bread. 

The observance of ember-days is of great antiquity in 
the Church. Their connection with the ordination of the 
ministers of religion renders them particularly worthy the 
regard of the faithful. We cannot be too deeply impressed 
with the blessing granted a people, whose priests are ac- 
cording to God's own heart. To obtain such, no humilia- 
tion should be deemed too great ; no supplication should 
be neglected. Whilst therefore we thank God for the 
fruits of the earth, and humble ourselves for the sins we 
have committed, we should beg God to supply his Church 
with worthy pastors. 

Rogation-week being always ihe next but one before 
Whit-Sunday, is so called, because on Monday, Tuesday, 
and Wednesday, rogations (from rogo, to ask or pray) and 
litanies of the saints are used, with abstinence from .flesh 



EXPLANATION OF FE3TIVAL3. 



enjoined by the Church to all persons, not only for a de- 
vout preparation to the feast of Christ's glorious Ascen- 
sion and Pentecost ; but also to beg and supplicate the 
blessing of God on the fruits of the earth. The Belgians 
call it cruis-vveek, i. e. cross-week, and so it is called in 
some parts of England ; because when the priest goes on 
those days in procession, the cross i3 carried before him. 
In the north of England it is called gang-week, from the 
ganging or going in procession then used. 

r l he Church has established festivals in honor of the 
Blessed Virgin and the Saints ; that is, she has appointed 
certain days for the purpose of glorifying God and giving 
him thanks for the admirable graces bestowed upon his 
favorite servants, in whom he has thought fit to exhibit, in 
a special manner, the wonders of his goodness and love ; 
also, in order to invoke their intercession, not that they 
can assist us by any power inherent in themselves, but by 
their prayers, which, in consequence of their purity and 
perfect state in heaven, are much more efficacious than 
ours; lastly, to place before us their eminent virtues, 
which, having been practised in every condition in life, 
prove to us that we also may observe the maxims of the 
gospel, and that to secure for ourselves a share in their 
happiness, we must imitate their holy example. 

Jjn. 25. — Conversion of St. Paul. — This feast was in- 
stitu'ed by the Church to perpetuate the memory of his 
miraculous conversion, which happened on this day, in the 
35:h year of Christ, as he was going with letters from Je- 
rusalem to Damascus, to persecute the Christians, when 
suddenly a voice from heaven called him, and of a perse- 
cutor rendered him an apostle. (Acts xi.) 

Fed. 2. — Candlemas -Day, or the Purification of the B. 
Virgin, (a feast of devotion;) that is, all who can, 
would do well to hear Mass ; but the precept of obligation 
in this country is dispensed wrh. It is in memory and 
honor both of the presen'ation of our blessed Lord, and the 
purification of the Virgin Mary in the temple of Jerusa- 
lem he fortieth day after her happy delivery, according to 
the law of Moses (Lrv. xii) and is called 'purification, from 
the Latin word purifico. which signifies to purify ; not that 
the Blessed Virgin had contracted any sin by her child- 
birth which needed purifying, being the mother of purity 
itself, but because other women were, by this ceremonious 
rite, freed from the legal impurity of childbirth, to which, 



4 

36 EXPLANATION OF FESTIVALS. 

out of her great humility, she submitted. It is called 
Candlemas, because before mass is said, the Church 
blesses her candles for the whole year, and makes a pro- 
cession with them in the hands of the faithful, in memory 
of Christ, whom, on occasion of his presentation in the 
temple, the aged Simeon styled a light to the revelation of 
the Gentiles, and the glory of his people Israel. Luke ii 32. 

Feb. 24. — St. Matthias, (a feast of devotion,) chosen 
by the college of apostles to supply the place of Judas the 
traitor: he was crowned with martyrdom in Jewry, in th8 
year 74. 

March 17. — St. Patrick, (a feast of devotion,) son of 
Calphurnius, born, according to the most probable opinion, 
in Aremorica, or Brittany, was sent in company of Pal- 
ladius, by Pope Celestin, anno 431, to preach the gospel 
to the Irish, which nation he converted, and became their 
apostle ; he died full of sanctity and miracles, anno 461. 

March 19. — St. Joseph, (a feast of devotion.) spouse of 
our Blessed Lady; he died in Judea about the 12th year 
of Jesus Christ. 

March 25.. — Annunciation, (a festival of obligation./ 
The Annunciation is both a feast of Jesus Christ and of 
his holy mother, because it was on this day that the Word 
was made flesh, and Mary became the mother of God. To 
remind us of this mystery, which should excite our most 
fervent gratitude, the Church exhorts us to recite the 
Angelas three times every day, and calls our attention to 
it by the sound of the bell. In saying this prayer we 
should endeavor also to secure to ourselves the protection 
of the Blessed Virgin, repeating with all possible devotion, 
the salutation of the angel, hail full of grace, &c. 

April 25. — St. Mark, evangelist, (a feast of devotion,) 
was disciple and interpreter to St. Peter, who, writing his 
gospel at the request of the Christians at Rome, took it 
with him into Egypt, where, first preaching at Alexandria, 
he founded that church ; and afterwards, being appre- 
hended for the faith of Christ, was bound with cords, 
dragged upon stones, and shut up in a close prison, where 
he was comforted by an angelic vision, and an apparition 
of our Lord. Finally, he was called to heaven, in the 
eighth year of Nero. On this day the long litanies are 
6aid, and abstinence from flesh is observed, to obtain a 
blessing on the fruits of the earth. 

May 1. — *S*S. Philip and James, apostles, (a feast of 



\ 



EXPLANATION OF FESTIVALS. 37 



devotion.') After the first had converted almost all Scythia 
to the faith of Christ, being fastened to a cross, he was 
stoned to death, making a glorious end at Hierapolis in 
Asia, anno 54. The second, called our Lord's brother, 
was the first Bishop of Jerusalem, where, being thrown 
from a pinnacle of the temple, his thighs broken, and 
wounded in the head with a fuller's club, he gave up the 
ghost, and was buried near the temple, anno 63. 

May?>. — 'Finding the Holy Cross, othervrise called Holy 
Rood-Day, a feast in memory of the miraculous find- 
ing of the holy cross, whereon our blessed Saviour suf- 
fered, by St. Helen, mother of Constantine the Great, anno 
326, after it had been hid by the infidels 180 years, who 
had erected a statue of Venus in place of it. 

June 11. — St. Barnaby, (a feast of devotion,) born in 
Cyprus, and ordained apostle of the Gentiles by St. Paul, 
travelled with him into many provinces, exercising the 
function of preaching the gospel committed to him ; and 
lastly, going into Cyprus, there adorned his apostleship 
with a glorious crown of martyrdom, anno 50, whose 
body, himself revealing it, was found in the time of Zeno 
the emperor, with St. Matthew's gospel in his own hand- 
writing. 

June 24. — Nativity of St. John Baptist, (a feast of de- 
votion,) our Lord's precursor, son of Zachary and Eliza- 
beth, who, being yet in his mother's womb, was replen- 
ished with the Holy Ghost. 

June 29. — St. Peter and St. Paul, (a feast of devo- 
tion.) They are joined in one solemnity, because they 
were principal co-operators under Christ in the conversion 
of the world, the first converting the Jews, the other the 
Gentiles, and were both martyred at the same place, 
Rome, and on the same day. 

July 2. — Visitation. On this festival we commemo- 
rate the wonders wrought through Mary in her visit to her 
cousin St. Elizabeth, when, at the very sound of her voice, 
St. John was sanctified in his mother's womb, and re- 
ceived the use of reason to know and adore his Redeemer. 
St. Elizabeth was likewise filled with the Holy Ghost, and 
received the gift of prophecy. The grace we should im- 
plore on this day is a visit from Jesus and Mary to our 
souls. 

July 25. — St. James the Great, (a feast of devotion,) 
brother to St. John the evangelist, was about the feast of 

4 



/ 



38 EXPLANATION OF FESTIVALS. 

Easter beheaded at Jerusalem by Herod Agrippa, anno 42. 
His relics were on this day translated to Compostella in 
Spain, where they were had in great veneration, people re- 
sorting thither from all parts of Christendom to pay their 
pious devotions, and fulfil their vows. 

Friday before Palm-Sunday. — Compassion of the Blessed 
Virgin. ' The object of this feast is to honor the unut- 
terable affliction which desolated the soul of Mary at 
the foot of the cross. The devout Christian should sym- 
pathize with her at the sufferings of Jesus Christ, and beg, 
through her intercession, a sincere and heartfelt sorrow for 
his sins, and an ardent love for his Divine Saviour, who 
endured so much pain and ignominy to expiate them. 

August 15. — Assumption. The Assumption of the 
Blessed Virgin is the greatest of all her feasts. On this 
day we honor her happy death, which, after that of her 
Divine Son, was, above all, the most holy and the most 
precious in the sight of the Lord. We also commemorate 
her glorious assumption into heaven, where she is ele- 
vated above angels and archangels, with a special claim to 
our homages, and ardently desires to promote our real in 
terests. 

August 24. — St. Bartholomew, apostle, (a feast of de- 
votion,) who, having preached the gospel in India, and 
passing thence into the greater Armenia, after he had con- 
verted innumerable people to the faith, was barbarously 
flayed alive by command of King Astirages ; and then be- 
headed, anno 44. 

Sept. 8. — The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, (a feast 
of devotion,) is in -memory of her happy and glorious birth, 
by whom the Author of all life and safety was born to the 
world. We should beg of her to preserve in us by her 
prayers what she has obtained for us from heaven. 

Sept. 21. — St. Matthew, apostle and evangelist, (a feast 
of devotion,) who, preaching the gospel in Ethiopia, was 
slain at the altar as he celebrated the divine mysteries, 
anno 44.. 

Sept. 29. — St. Michael Archangel, or Michaelmas -Day, 
(a feast of devotion,) signifies a solemnity or solemn mass, 
in honor of him, and all the irne orders of angels : as also 
to commend the whole Church of God to their patronage 
and prayers, by w T hose charitable ministry we have re- 
ceived of God, the original source, so many benefits. And 
it is called the dedication of St. Michael, from the dedi- 



EXPLANATION OF FESTIVALS. 



39 



eating a church to him, in Rome, by Pope Boniface III., 
anno 606. 

Oct. 38. — St. Luke, evangelist, who, after he had en- 
dured many afflictions for the name of Christ, filled with 
the Holy Ghost, died in Bithynia, in the year of our Lord 
74, whose sacred bones were brought to Constantinople, 
and thence translated to Padua. 

Oct. 28. — SS. Simon and Jude, otherwise called Thad- 
deus, (a feast of devotion;) the first preached the gospel in 
Egypt, the other in Mesopotamia; and afterwards going 
together into Persia, after having converted an infinite mul- 
titude of that nation to the faith, they accomplished their 
martyrdom in the year 68. 

Nov. 1. — Feast of all Saints. — The Church has insti- 
tuted a single feast in memory of all the Saints, to obtain 
abundant mercy from God, by employing a great multitude 
of intercessors ; to exhibit that union which exists between 
the Saints on earth, and those who are in heaven, and to 
show that we are called to a holy life ; because, there 
being among the Saints persons of all ages, of all sexes, 
and of all conditions, no one can find a pretext for not be- 
coming solidly virtuous. 

Nov. 2. — Commemoration of all Souls. To pray for the 
dead is a pious duty which the Church authorizes, and 
which she has always religiously practised. Her intention 
on this day is, that the faithful should offer up their prayers 
to God for the repose and happiness of all their departed 
brethren ; that their supplications should be accompanied 
with alms-deeds, mortification, and other works of satis- 
faction, which will make them more efficacious ; and 
lastly, that they reflect upon their own exit from the 
world, which will induce them to be more careful in avoid- 
ing sin and performing the duties of a Christian life. 

Nov. 30. — St. Andrew, apostle, (a feast of devotion,) 
who preached the gospel in Thrace and Scythia; but, ap- 
prehended by Egeas the proconsul, was first imprisoned, 
then most cruelly beaten, and lastly fastened to a cross, 
whereon he lived two days, preaching to the people ; and 
having besought our Lord not to permit him to be taken 
down, encompassed with a great light from heaven, he 
gave up his blessed soul at Patras, in Achaia, anno 69. 

Dec. 8. — Conceptio?i of the B. Virgin. This feast is cele- 
brated in memory of the inestimable privilege granted to 
the mother of God, of being conceived in original justice, 



EXPLANATION OF FESTIVALS. 



and exempted from all sin. On this day we should ask 
her to obtain for us the grace of perfect purity of soul and 
body. 

Dec. 21. — St. Thomas, apostle, (a feast of devotion, who 
having preached the gospel to the Parthians, Medes, Per- 
sians, and Hyrcanians, went into India, where he instructed 
that people in the Christian faith, for which he was thrust 
through the body with lances, and gave up his blessed soul 
at Calamina, anno 44. 

Dec. 25. — The Nativity of our Lord Jestjs Christ, (a 
solemn feast of obligation,) yearly celebrated by the Catho- 
lic Church, even from the apostles' time, in memory of 
our Saviour's birth at Bethlehem ; and is called Christmas, 
from the mass celebrated on that day in honor of his holy 
birth. We should all partake on this day of the holy joy 
which the angels announced to the shepherds on that oc- 
casion, and which consists in giving glory to God for so 
incomparable a favor, and enjoying the peace brought to 
men of good will, to those who learn from their infant Sa- 
viour how to sanctify their souls, and secure to themselves 
the blessings of redemption. 

Dec. 26. — St. Stephen, (a feast of devotion.) the first 
martyr after Christ's ascension, was stoned to death by the 
Jews, anno 34. 

Dec. 27. — St. John, apostle and evangelist, (a feast of 
devotion,) who, after writing his gospel, his banishment, 
and receiving the revelations, lived to the time of Trajan 
the emperor, and both founded and governed the churches 
of Asia. Finally, worn out with old age, he died at 
Ephesus, aged 93, anno 68, and was buried near the same 
city. 

Dec. 28. — Holy Innocents, (a feast of devotion,) in me- 
mory of the babes slain by Herod, when he sought our 
blessed Saviour ; and is called Childermass, from the par- 
ticular commemoration of those martyred children in tho 
mass of that day. 



A PROFESSION OF CATHOLIC FAITH.* 



EXTRACTED FROM THE COUNCIL OF TRENT, 
* BY POPEf PIUS IV. 

IN , believe and profess with a firm faith, all 
5 and every one of those things, which are con- 
tained in the symbol of faith used in the Holy Catho- 
lic {Roman) Church, viz. 

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker 
of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and in- 
visible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only be- 
gotten Son of God, and born of the Father before all 
ages ; God of God ; Light of Light ; true God of true 
God. Begotten, not made ; consubstantial to the 
Father, by whom all things were made ; who for us 
men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, 
and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin 
Mary, AND WAS MADE MAN. Was crucified 
also for us under Pontius Pilate ; he suffered and was 
buried ; and rose again the third day according to the 
Scripture, and ascended into heaven ; sits at the right 
hand of the Father, and shall come again with glory 
to judge both the living and the dead, of whose king- 
dom there shall be no end. And in the Holy Ghost, 
the Lord and giver of Life, who proceeds from the 
Father and the Son, who, together with the Father 
and the Son, is adored and glorified; who spoke by 
the Prophets. And One, Holy, Catholic and Aposto- 
lic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission 
of sins. And I expect the resurrection of the dead ; 
and the life of the world to come. Amen, 

I most firmly admit and embrace apostolical and 

* One Lord, one faith, one baptism. — Epli. iv 5. 

Teach ye all nations. ... I am with you all days, 
even to the consummation of the world. — Matt, xxviii 
19, 20. 

t There shall be one fold and one Shepherd. — John x 16. 

4* 41 



42 A PROFESSION OF CATHOLIC FAITH. 

ecclesiastical Traditions, and all other constitutions 
and observances of the same Church. 

I also admit the sacred Scriptures, according to the 
sense in which our Holy Mother, the Church, has 
held, and does hold them, to whom it belongs to 
judge of the true sense and interpretation of the holy 
Scriptures ; nor will I ever take and interpret them 
otherwise than according to the unanimous consent 
of the Fathers. 

I profess also, that there are truly and properly 
seven Sacraments of the new law, instituted by Jesus 
Christ our Lord, for the salvation of mankind, though 
not all necessary for every one : viz. Baptism, Con- 
firmation, Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Unction, 
Holy Order and Matrimony; and that they confer 
grace : and that of these, Baptism, Confirmation, and 
Holy Order, cannot be reiterated without sacrilege. I 
also receive and admit the Ceremonies, which the Ca- 
tholic Church admits and approves of, in the solemn 
administration of all the above — said sacraments. 

I receive and embrace all and every one of the 
things, which have been defined and declared in the 
holy council of Trent, concerning original sin and 
justification; 

I profess likewise, that in the Mass is offered to 
God a true, proper and propitiatory sacrifice for the 
living and the dead : and that in the most holy sacra- 
ment of the Eucharist there is truly, really and substan- 
tially present, the body and blood, together with the 
soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ; and that 
there is made a conversion of the whole substance of 
the bread into the body, and of the whole substance 
of the wine into the blood; which conversion the 
Catholic Church calls Transubstantiation. 

I confess also that, under each kind, Christ is 
whole and entire, and a true sacrament is received. 

I constantly hold that there is a Purgatory, and that 
the souls therein detained are helped by the suffrages 



A PROFESSION OF CATHOLIC FAITH. 43 



of the faithful. Likewise, that the saints reigning 
together with Christ, are to be honored and invocated ; 
that they offer prayers to God for us ; and that their 
relics ought to be venerated. 

I most firmly assert that the images of Christ, and 
of the Mother of God, ever a virgin, and also of the 
Saints, are to be had and retained, and that due honor 
and veneration are to be given them. 

I also affirm that the power of Indulgences was left 
by Christ to the Church, and that the use of them is 
most wholesome to Christian people. 

I acknowledge the Holy Catholic Apostolic Roman 
Church to be the Mother and Mistress of all Churches; 
and I promise true obedience to the Bishop of Rome, 
the successor of St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles, 
and vicar of Jesus Christ on earth. 

I also undoubtedly receive and profess all other 
things delivered, defined and declared by the sacred 
Canons and general Councils, and particularly by the 
holy Council of Trent; and I also condemn, reject 
and anathematize all things contrary thereto, and all 
heresies whatsoever condemned, rejected and anathe- 
matized by the Church. 

This true Catholic Faith, out of which none can be 
saved, * I now truly profess and truly hold. And I, 

N , promise to hold, and profess the same whole 

and entire, with God's assistance, to the end of my 
life. Amen, 

* This maxim, out of the Catholic faith none can be saved, is to be 
understood of those persons who, knowing, or being able to know 
that the Catholic Church is the only true Church of Christ, either 
separate themselves from her, or being already engaged in sepa- 
rate societies, wilfully refuse to return to her pale, and to profess 
iier doctrines. Such persons as these, not being excused by any 
plea of honest sincerity and invincible ignorance, but rather in- 
curring the guilt of voluntary disobedience to the commands of 
Christ concerning his Church and pastors, ( Matt, xviii 17, Luke x 
16,) cannot fail to incur likewise the condemnation which Christ 
himself has uttered against their obstinacy. {Mark xvi 15, 16.) 

By the above maxim it is not intended to deny that, among 
Christians born, baptized, and raised out of the pale of the Catho- 



ON PRAYER, 



NECESSITY OF PRAYER. 

"VfTE ought always to pray, and not to faint. — Luke 
YV xviii 1. Watch, ye, and pray, that ye enter not 
into temptation. — Matt, xxvi 41. Ask and it shall be 
given you. — Ibid, vii 7. Without me you can do nothing. 
— John xv 5. Not that we are sufficient to think any 
thing of ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God. — 2 Cor. 
iii 5. God bestows some favors without prayer, such as 
the beginning of faith ; others, such as perseverance, are 
granted only to those who pray. — St. Aug. To enter 
heaven, continual prayer is necessary after baptism ; for 
although all sins are remitted by that sacrament, there 
still remains concupiscence to assail us from within, and the 
world and the devil to attack us from without . — St. Tho- 
mas. All the graces, which God hath prepared for us from 
all eternity, will be granted only to prayer. — St. Thomas. 
Prayer is necessary, not to make our wants known to 
Almighty God, but to convince us of our obligation to 
recur to his mercy for succor, and thus to make us acknow- 
ledge him to be the author of all our works. — Ibid. God 
wishes to give, but he gives only to those who ask. — St. 
Aug. As the soul animates the body, so prayer sustains 
the life of the soul. As the body cannot live without the 

lie Church, there may be some, invincibly ignorant of the truth, 
perfectly sincere in their own way, and consequently not guilty, 
on that account, in the sight of God. If these Christians faithfully 
adhere, in belief and practice, to all such articles and precepts 
of religion as are sufficiently known to them, so as to commit no 
grievous sin, they will obtain salvation; as will also all children 
duly baptized, who die before the use of reason. This salvation, 
however, they will not obtain out of the true Church, but rather 
in the true Church, to which they may be justly said to belong, 
if not by outward profession, at least by the disposition of their 
hearts. Such is the unanimous doctrine of Catholic theologians : 
it was also that of the great St. Augustine, as appears from seve- 
ral of his writings. 

Now, who are the persons thus sincerely disposed, in whom 
ignorance has never ceased to be invincible, who have thrown 
ito voluntary obstacle in the way of their salvation, God alone 
knows, He alone being the searcher of hearts and reins. One thing 
however is certain, that when doubts begin to arise in the minds 
of those persons, there exists for them a strict obligation fairly 
to inquire after the truth, and, when known, courageously to 
embrace it. 

44 



ON PRAYER. 



45 



soul, so the soul without prayer is dead.— St. Chrys. As 
the flesh derives its nutriment from food, so the soul is 
nourished by prayer. — St. Aug. To prayer may be traced 
the beginning, the progress, and the perfection of all vir- 
tues. — St. Charles Borromeo. Who are we, or what is 
our strength, that we should be able to resist so many 
temptations ? God certainly wished, that we, seeing that 
we are deficient, and that out of him there is no assist- 
ance for us, should, with all humility, have recourse to 
his mercy. — St. Bernard. 

EFFICACY OF PRAYER. 

ASK and it shall be given unto you : seek, and you 
shall find : knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 
— Matt, vii 7. How much more will your Father, who 
is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him? — 
ibid, vii 11. For every one that asketh, receiveth ; and 
he that seeketh, findeth. — Ibid, vii 8. If you shall ask 
any thing in my name, that will I do. — John xvi 14. You 
shall ask whatever you will, and it shall be done to you. 
— John xv 7. Amen, Amen, I say to you, if you ask the 
Father any thing in my name, he will give it you. — Ibid. 
xvi 23. I can do ail things in Him who strengtheneth me. — 
Phil, iv 13. The Lord is nigh unto all them, that call 
upon him ; to all that call upon him in truth. He will do 
the will of them that fear him, and he will hear their prayer 
and save them. — Psalm cxliv 18, 19. By prayer is obtained 
the possession of every good, and deliverance from every 
evil. — St. Bonaventure. By the practice of prayer we may 
construct an impregnable citadel, in which we shall be se- 
curely protected against all the snares and violence of the 
enemy. — St. Laur. Just. Prayer is more powerful than 
all the devils. — St. Bernard. "Prayer is an armor capable 
of resisting all the assaults of the devil ; it is a defence 
which preserves us in every danger, a port which saves us 
in every storm, and a treasure which supplies us with every 
good.— -St. Liguori. He who practises prayer, sins not ; 
and, divested of every affection, he begins to dwell in 
heaven, and to enjoy the conversation of God. — Ibid. He 
knows how to live well, who knows how to pray well. — St. 
Aug. He who prays shall infallibly be saved, and he who 
does not pray, will inevitably be lost. All the elect (infants 
excepted) are saved by prayer. All the reprobate are lost 
through neglect of prayer. — St. Liguori. 



46 



ON PRAYER. 



CONDITIONS OF PRAYER. 

THE most necessary conditions of prayer, are humility, 
confidence, and perseverance. — St. Liguori, He hath 
had regard to the prayer of the humble. — Psalm ci 18. 
God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 
— St. James iv 6. The prayer of him that humbleth him- 
self, shall pierce the clouds ; . . . and he will not depart 
till the Most High behold. — Ecclus. xxxv 21. A contrite 
and humble heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. — Psalm 
1. 19. Thou who savest them that trust in thee. — Ibid. 
xvi 7. Because he hoped in me, ... I will deliver him 
and glorify him. — Ibid, xc 14, 15. But they that hope in 
the Lord, shall renew their strength. — Isaias xl 31. Not 
one hath hoped in the Lord, and hath been confounded. — 
Ecclus. ii 11. They that trust in the Lord, shall be as 
Mount Sion. — Psalm cxxiv 1. Let thy mercy, O Lord, be 
upon us, as we have hoped in thee. — Psalm xxxii 22. He 
that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, that is moved and 
carried about by the wind. Therefore, let not that man 
think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. — St. 
James i 6, 7. Go; and as thou hast believed, so be it 
done to thee. — Matt, viii 13. All things whatsoever you 
ask, when ye pray, believe that you shall receive ; and 
they shall come unto you. — Mark xi 24. God protects and 
saves all who confide in him. — St. Liguori. They that 
hope in the Lord shall lay aside their weakness, and put 
on the strength of God; they shall not faint, nor even be 
fatigued, in treading the rugged ways of salvation. — Ibid. 
Thou, Lord, dost not pour the oil of mercy, unless into 
vessels of confidence. — St. Bernard. The prayer of the 
just man is the key of heaven ; his petition ascends, and 
God's mercy descends. — St. Aug. Trusting in the divine 
promises, let us ever pray with confidence, not wavering, 
but strong and firm. — St. Liguori. To obtain final perse- 
verance, we must continue to pray to the end of our lives. 
If, by our negligence, we break the chain of our prayers, 
the chain of graces, on which our salvation depends, will 
also be broken. — Ibid. Oh ! how the constant application 
to God by prayer, and the confident expectation of receiv- 
ing from him the graces we stand in need of, enkindle in 
us the fire of divine love, and unite us to the Divinity. — 
Ibid. We must continue to pray until we receive the 
sentence of eternal salvation. — Ibid. 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE MORNING PRAYERS. 47 



All our petitions should be made through our Lord Jesus 
Christ. Ask in the name of Jesus Christ, through his merits, 
and in virtue of his divine promises . 

If God is pleased by our prayers to his saints, he will be 
much more pleased by our supplications to his holy Mother. 
When we have recourse to the intercession of the Blessed 
Virgin, it is not from a diffidence in the Divine mercy, but 
from a sense of our own unworthiness. — St. Anselm and 
St. Liguori. 

See St. Liguori 's excellent Treatise on Prayer. 

♦ 

DEVOTIONS BEFORE MORNING PRAYERS. 

AWwugh, at this time, each one folloivs her oivn particular turn of 
piety ; still these devotions may afford help to the novices. 

THE wise man will give his heart to resort early to 
the Lord, that made him : and he will pray in 
the sight of the Most High. — Ecclus. xxxix 6. I love 
them that love me ; and they, that in the morning early 
watch for me, shall find me. With me are riches and 
glory. — Prov. viii 17, 18. God, my God, to thee 
do I watch at break of day ; for thee my soul hath 
thirsted. — Ps. lxii 1, 2. It is good to give praise to 
the Lord ; and to sing to thy name, O Most High ; 
to show forth thy mercy in the morning. — Ps. xci 1. 
My soul hath desired thee, in the night, yea, and with 
my spirit within me in the morning, early I will w r atch 
to thee. — Is. xxvi 9. Jesus Christ rising very early 
in the morning, going out went into a desert place, 
and there prayed. — Mark i 35. 

At the first sound of the bell, prostrate yourself in spirit before the ta- 
bernacle, make the sign of the cross,* and say : 

JESUS, Mary, and Joseph, I give you my heart, my 
spirit and my life. Then : All for thee, my God, 
all for thy greater honor, and glory, and pure love. 

*This sacred sign may be regarded as a compendium of all the 
mysteries of our faith, as a homage rendered to the three persons 
of the adorable Trinity, as an act of gratitude for all that the God- 
head,— the Father, the' Son, and the Holy Spirit, have conde- 
scended to do in favor of man. 



48 DEVOTIONS BEFORE MORNING PRAYERS. 



When you take holy water, say : 

ASH me, my Jesus ! in thy own precious 
blood, and I shall be made whiter than snow. 
Show us, Lord, thy mercy, and grant us thy salva- 
tion. 

Whilst Dressing : 

CLOTHE me, O my God ! with the robe of inno- 
cence ; and since thou hast, my Jesus ! merci- 
fully condescended to choose me for thy own spouse ; 
adorn, I beseech thee, my unworthy soul with all 
Christian virtues, especially with those which consti- 
tute the spirit of my holy vocation. 

OR, 

That I may be less unworthy of being specially con- 
secrated to thee, my Jesus, adorn my soul with every 
virtue, especially with that of an exact fidelity to my 
holy rules and vows. 

Putting on the habit, hiss it affectionately, saying : 

SWEET Jesus, Divine Spouse of my soul ! whilst 
vesting myself with this beloved garment of my 
cherished alliance to thee, I humbly supplicate thee, 
to preserve unsullied the nuptial robe, with which 
thou didst invest my unworthy soul, on the blessed 
day of my happy consecration to thee. 

Kneeling by the Bed-side : 

"it /TOST adorable Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy 
IT I Ghost. I cast my nothingness into the abyss 
of thy divine perfections ; and, in union with the ado- 
rations of Jesus, my divine Saviour, I adore thee, as 
my sovereign Lord, my first beginning and my last 
end : and in union with his thanksgiving, I thank 
thee for all thy love and mercies to me. I thank thee 
for giving me another day to love, praise and serve 
thee ; and I beseech thee to grant that every moment 
of it, may, according to thy gracious designs, secure 
to me the blessing of being nearer to thee in heaven 




DEVOTIONS BEFORE MORNING PRAYERS. 49 



I offer to thee, my whole being — my soul with all its 
powers ; my heart with all its affections, inclinations, 
desires, and intentions ; my mind with all its facul- 
ties : I make this offering, in the sacred heart of my 
Jesus, and under the auspices of my Blessed Virgin 

Mother, of my Guardian Angel, St. , blessed 

St. Joseph, St. Vincent, St. Michael the Archangel, 
and St. Gabriel the Angel of my Redemption. Oh I 
that I could, during this day, by each action, give as 
much honor and glory to thee, my God, as the nine 
choirs of Angels, and all the Saints, and even as much 
as all possible created beings could render thee. Ac- 
cept, O my God ! this my ardent desire, accompanied 
by the most sincere and humble acknowledgment, 
that of myself, abandoned by thy grace, I can do no- 
thing acceptable to thee. 

Whilst going down stairs, or at any other time. 

PRESERVE me, Lord, this day, or I shall cer- 
tainly betray thee. O Mary, conceived without 
sin, &c. Angel of God, &c. 

Whilst washing. 

OMY loving Redeemer ! I cast my sinful soul 
into the all-cleansing stream, which thou didst, 
on Calvary, bequeath to me. If thou, my Jesus, wash 
me, I shall be made whiter than snow, and less un- 
worthy to appear before thee, in thy holy temple. 

or : 

Blood of Jesus, wash me. Water from the side 
of Jesus, purify me, that I may be thus prepared to 
dwell in thy adorable heart — my sweetest, my securest 
refuse. 

While waiting in the Church or Oratory for Morning Prayers. 

OMX God ! how happy am I here in thy 

sacred presence ! How hast thou favored thy 
unworthy creature ! 0, that my earnest desire to do 
thy will in all things, may prove that I am not alto- 

5 



50 



MORNING PRAYERS. 



gether ungrateful for the favor thou hast, notwith- 
standing my unworthiness, conferred on me ! But, 
my God, whilst I am enjoying and thanking thee for 
this blessing, my heart yearns for the conversion of 
the millions and millions of redeemed souls, who 
know thee not. For their conversion I offer up all 
that our Jesus has done for their salvation ; and I pre- 
sent this my offering in their behalf, through the 
hands of his blessed Mother, whose heart was wrung 
with anguish at the foot of the cross. 

A prayer of resignation to the holy will of God. 

OMY God ! I do not know what will happen to 
me to-day ; all that I know is, nothing can be- 
fall me, which thou hast not foreseen and ordained 
from all eternity ; and therefore I am resigned to all. 

my heavenly Father ! I adore thy eternal designs ; 

1 submit to them with all my heart. I offer to thee 
the entire sacrifice of my own will ; and I unite this 
sacrifice to that of thy dear Son, my Saviour ; and I 
beseech thee, through his infinite merits, to grant me, 
in all my trials and afflictions, that unalterable patience 
and perfect submission, which are due to all thou dost 
will or permit. 

- — ♦ — 

MORNING PRAYERS. 

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of 
the Holy Ghost. Amen. 

Come, Holy Ghost, replenish the hearts of thy 
faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of thy divine 
love. 

y. Send forth thy Spirit, and they shall be created. 
R. And thou shalt renew the face of the earth. 

LET US PRAY. 

OGOD ! who by the light of the Holy Ghost didst 
instruct the hearts of the faithful, give us, by 



MORNING PRAYERS. 



51 



the same Holy Spirit, a love and relish for what is 
right and just, and a constant enjoyment of his com- 
forts : through Christ our Lord. Amen, 

We offer thee, my God, the prayers and actions 
we are going to perform this day, for the glory of thy 
holy name, for the exaltation of thy holy Church, the 
extirpation of schisms and heresies, for peace among 
Christian princes, and for all the intentions of the 
same holy Church. 

• Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the 
Holy Ghost. 

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall 
be, world without end. Amen. {Seven times,) Hail 
Mary, full of grace, &c. 

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Hosts! All the 
earth is full of thy glory. Glory be to the Father ; 
glory be to the Son ; glory be to the Holy Ghost. 

Blessed be the most holy and undivided Trinity, 
now and for ever, world without end. Amen, 

Most holy and undivided Trinity, prostrate at the 
throne of thy mercy, we do, with ail the powers of 
our souls, adore thy divine Majesty, and acknowledge 
that to thee alone are due all love, praise and thanks- 
giving for thy infinite goodness. 

We firmly believe and profess all the sacred truths, 
which thy holy Catholic Church believes and teaches, 
because thou hast revealed them, who canst neither 
deceive nor be deceived. 

Relying on thy goodness and promises, we hope to 
obtain the pardon of our sins, and life everlasting, 
through the merits of Jesus Christ, and by the inter- 
cession of his blessed Mother and all the Saints. 

We love thee above all things, with our whole 
heart and soul, purely, because thou art infinitely 
good and infinitely amiable : and because sin is infi- 
nitely displeasing to thee, we therefore detest all sin, 
and resolve rather to die than ever offend thee. 

Blessed be thy holy name, most sovereign Lord, 



52 



MORNING PRAYERS. 



for all favors bestowed on us or any of thy creatures ; 
but we thank thy divine goodness especially for our 
creation, conservation, and redemption; for our call 
to thy holy Catholic Church, and for our persever- 
ance in it; for bringing us into a Community, wherein 
we may praise and serve thee ; for thy fatherly care 
and providence over us in all the accidents and en- 
counters of our lives; for preserving us this night 
from all evil of body and soul, and granting us this 
day wherein we may praise and serve thee. 

We offer thee, O God, in thanksgiving for these 
and all other favors whatsoever, spiritual and tempo- 
ral, our souls and bodies, our memory, understanding, 
and will ; all the thoughts, words, and deeds of our 
whole life, whether present or future, but especially 
those of this present day, in union with the bitter 
death and passion of our dear Saviour, Jesus Christ, 
with the merits of his blessed Mother, the ever im- 
maculate Virgin Mary, and of all the Saints and An- 
gels in heaven and faithful on earth. 

We likewise offer to thy infinite goodness all the 
mortifications and good works of all the just, especi- 
ally of those who have ever promised to pray for us : 
all the sacrifices of Mass that have been offered, that 
are now being offered, or that will be offered to thy 
Divine Majesty this day, or at any time, throughout 
the w T hole world. 

First, and chiefly, to the eternal praise of thy own 
adorable Majesty, to the glory of the sacred humanny 
of Christ our Lord, to the honor of the blessed Virgin 
Mary, of our Guardian-Angels, of our Patrons and 
Patronesses, of the Saints of this present day, of those 
whose relics we have, and of all the Saints and Angels 
of heaven, whose intercession we most humbly im- 
plore. 

Secondly, we offer the same oblation for gaining 
such indulgences as are annexed to any action of this 
day : to obtain the pardon of our sins, whether of 



MORNING PRAYERS. 



53 



commission or omission ; an increase of thy sovereign 
goodness; and a happy death, fortified with all the 
rites and sacraments of the holy Church : humbly 
begging that thy holy hand may this day, and all the 
days of our life, preserve us from all sin and danger : 
in fine, that we may be such as thou desirest, in every 
thought, word and action of our life and death. 

We also offer it for those to whom we are undeT 
any obligation ; for those for whom we have promised 
to pray, or for whom thou desirest us to pray : that 
we may be perfected in virtue : and lastly, for the con- 
version of souls and for the w^hole universal Church, 
that we may all, according to our degrees and calling, 
serve thee in sanctity and perfection all the days of 
our life. 

The satisfactory part we gladly offer for the souls in 
Purgatory, especially for those to whose sufferings 
there we have been in any way accessary ; for this 
reason chiefly, that seeing we are so ungrateful to thee 
upon earth, we may, by this means, prove instrumen- 
tal in others' loving thee most fervently in heaven. 
Amen, 

THE LORD'S PRAYER. 

OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy 
name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on 
earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily 
bread ; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive 
them that trespass against us. And lead us not into 
temptation ; but deliver us from evil. Amen. 

THE ANGELICAL SALUTATION. 

HAIL, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee : 
blessed art thou amongst women; and blessed is 
the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother 
of God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of 
our death. Amen, 

5* 



54 



MORNING PRAYERS. 



THE APOSTLES' CREED. 

I BELIEVE in God, the Father Almighty, Creator 
of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only 
Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, 
born of the Virgin Mary ; suffered under Pontius Pi- 
late, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended 
into hell, the third day he rose again from the dead : 
he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand 
of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall 
come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in 
the Holy Ghost; the holy Catholic Church; the 
Communion of Saints; the forgiveness of sins: the 
resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen. 

THE CONFITEOR. 

T CONFESS to Almighty God, to blessed Mary 
I ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to 
blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter 
and Paul, and to all the Saints, that I have sinned ex- 
ceedingly in thought, word, and deed, through my 
fault, through my fault, through my most grievous 
fault. Therefore, I beseech the blessed Mary ever 
Virgin, the blessed Michael the Archangel, the blessed 
John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, 
and all the Saints, to pray to the Lord, our God, for me. 

May the Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive 
us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life! Amen. 

May the Almighty and merciful Lord grant us 
pardon, absolution, and remission of all our sins. 
Amen. 

Let us call to mind the sins and daily infidelities into 
which we usually fall and endeavor to foresee the oc- 
casions of such failings as we may be exposed to, during 
the present day. 

MAKE A SHOUT PAUSE. 

ITH most humble submission we acknowledge, 
Lord, our many and daily transgressions of 




MORNING PRAYERS, 55 

thy holy law ; and in the bitterness of our souls, we 
bewail our ingratitude in misspending so much pre- 
cious time, allowed us by thy infinite goodness for no 
other purpose than to lay up treasures for eternal life. 
Penetrated with a sense of thy predilection for us, 
poor, ungrateful and miserable sinners, we here, in 
thy sacred presence, Eternal God, and in the sight of 
our Guardian- Angels, do most sincerely enter on our 
duty, and we are resolved to spend this day to thy 
honor and glory. 

We offer to thee those vows we made at entering 
into thy holy Church, and from our hearts, we here 
repeat and renew the same : We renounce the devil with 
all his works, the world with all its pomps, and the 
flesh with all its temptations, 

THE LITANY OF JESUS. 

LORD, have mercy on us. 
Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ, hear us. 
Christ, graciously hear us. 
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us. 
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, 
God the Holy Ghost, 
Holy Trinity, one God, 
Jesus, Son of the living God, 
Jesus, splendor of the Father, 
Jesus, brightness of eternal life, 
Jesus, king of glory, 
Jesus, the sun of justice, 
Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary, 
Jesus, whose name is called wonderful, 
Jesus, the mighty God, 
Jesus, the Father of the world to come, 
Jesus, the Angel of the great council, 
Jesus, most powerful, 
Jesus, most patient, 



GO 



56 



MORNING PRAYERS. 



Jesus, most obedient, 

Jesus, meek and humble of heart, 

Jesus, lover of chastity, 

Jesus, lover of mankind, 

Jesus, the God of peace, 

Jesus the author of life, 

Jesus, the example of all virtues, 

Jesus, zealous for souls, 

Jesus, our God, 

Jesus, the Father of the poor, 

Jesus, the treasure of the faithful, 

Jesus, the good shepherd, 

Jesus, the true light, 

Jesus, the eternal wisdom, 

Jesus, the infinite goodness, 

Jesus, the way, the truth, and the life, 

Jesus, the joy of the angels, 

Jesus, the king of the patriarchs, 

Jesus, the inspirer of prophets, 

Jesus, the master of the apostles, 

Jesus, the teacher of the evangelists, 

Jesus, the strength of martyrs, 

Jesus, the light of confessors, 

Jesus, the spouse of virgins, 

Jesus, the crown of all saints, 

Be merciful to us. Spare us, Lord Jesus. 

Be merciful to us. Hear us, Lord Jesus. 

From all evil, Lord Jesus, deliver us, 

From all sin, 

From thy wrath, 

From the snares of the devil, 

From the spirit of uncleanness, 

From everlasting death, 

From a neglect of thy holy inspirations, 

Through the mystery of thy most holy incarnation, 

Through thy nativity, 

Through thy divine infancy, 

Through thy sacred life, 



MORNING PRAYERS. 



57 



Through thy labors and travels, 

Through thy agony and bloody sweat, 

Through thy cross and passion, 

Through thy pains and torments, 

Through thy death and burial, 

Through thy glorious resurrection, 

Through thy admirable ascension, 

Through thy joys and glory, 

In the day of judgment, 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 
world, spare us, Lord Jesus. 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 
world, hear us, Lord Jesus. 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 
world, have mercy on us, Lord Jesus. 

'if. Christ Jesus, hear us. R. Christ Jesus, gra- 
ciously hear us. 

LET US PRAY. 

OLORD Jesus Christ, who hast said : Ask and 
you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock 
and it shall be opened unto you ; mercifully attend to our 
supplication, and grant us the gift of thy divine Charity, 
that we may ever love thee with our whole heart, and 
never desist from thy praise ; who livest and reignest 
one God, world without end. Amen, 

OGOD, who hast appointed thy only begotten 
Son the Saviour of mankind, and hast com- 
manded that he should be called Jesus, mercifully 
grant that we may enjoy in heaven the happy vision 
of him, whose holy name we venerate upon earth ; 
who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth 
one God, world without end. Amen. 

SALVE REGINA. 

HAIL, holy Queen ! Mother of Mercy ; our life, 
our sweetness, and our hope ! to thee we cry, 
poor banished children of Eve ; to thee we send up 



58 



MORNING PRAYERS. 



our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of 
tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate ! thy eyes 
of mercy towards us, and after this our exile is ended, 
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus : 
clement ! O pious ! sweet Virgin Mary ! 

y . Vouchsafe that we may praise thee, Blessed 
Virgin. 

R. Give us strength against thy enemies. Blessed 
is God in his Saints. Amen, 

y . May the divine assistance remain always 
with us. 

R. Amen, 

And may the souls of the faithful departed, through 
the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen, 

ANGELUS DOMINI.* 



ANGELUS Domini 
nuntiavit Maria? ; et 
concepit de Spiritu Sancto. 

Ave Maria, &c. 

Ecce ancilla Domini, 
fiat mihi secundum ver- 
bum tuum. 

Ave Maria, &c. 
Et Verbum caro factum 
est, et habitavit in nobis. 

Ave Maria, &c. 
Ora pro nobis, &c. 



THE Angel of the Lord 
declared unto Mary : 
and she conceived by the 
Holy Ghost. 
Hail Mary, &c. 
Behold the handmaid 
of the Lord : may it be 
done unto me according to 
thy word. 

Hail Mary, &c. 
And the Word was 
made flesh : and dwelt 
among us. 

Hail Mary, &c. 
Pray for us, &c. 



* This prayer is to be said kneeling, on week days, but 
standing, on Sundays, beginning from noon on Saturday. 
During Easter time, the Antiphon Regina cceli, is substi- 
tuted for the Angelus, and is always said standing. 



MORNING PRAYERS. 



59 



OREMTJS. 

GRATIAMtuam, quae- 
sumus, Domine, 
mentibus nostris infunde ; 
ut qui, Angelo nuntiante, 
Christi Filii tui incarna- 
tionem cognovimus, per 
Passionem ejus etcrucem, 
ad Resurrectionis gloriam 
perducamur. Per eundem 
Christum Dominum nos- 
trum. Amen, 



After the Angelus Domi, 
say three times : Glory be 



LET US PRAY. 

POUR forth, we be- 
seech thee, Lord, 
thy grace into our hearts, 
that we, to whom the in- 
carnation of Christ thy 
Son has been made known 
by the message of an 
Angel, may, by his Pas- 
sion and Cross, be brought 
to the glory of his resur- 
rection. Through the 
same Christ our Lord. 
Amen. 

', morning, noon, and night, 
d the Father, &c. 



From Holy Saturday, B 




EGINA cceli laetare, 
i Alleluia ; 



Quia quem meruisti por- 
tare, Alleluia ; 

Resurrexit, sicut dixit, 
Alleluia. 

Ora pro nobis Deum, 
Alleluia. 

V. Gaude et laetare, 
Virgo Maria, Alleluia. 

R. Quia surrexit Domi- 
nus vere, Alleluia. 



C(ELI. 

to Trinity Eve, M. 

HAPPY Queen of 
heav'n, rejoice, Alle- 
luia. 

The son thou lovest by 
heaven's choice, Alleluia. 

From death is ris'n, as 
he did say, Alleluia. 

To God for us, thy chil- 
dren, pray, Alleluia. 

y. Rejoice and be glad, 
O Virgin Mary, Alleluia. 

R. Because our Lord is 
truly risen, Alleluia. 



o REMUS. 

DEUS, qui, per resur- 
rectionem Filii tui 
Domini nostri Jesu Chris- 



LET US PRAY. 

OGOD, who, by the 
resurrection of thy 
Son, our Lord Jesus 



60 



ON MEDITATION. 



ti, mundum laetificaredig- 
natus es, prsesta, qua> 
sumus, ut per ejus geni- 
tricem Virginem Mariam 
perpetuae capiamus gaudia 
vitse. Per eundem Chris- 
tum Dominum nostrum. 
R. Amen. 



Christ, hast been pleased 
to fill the world with joy; 
grant, we beseech thee, 
that by the intercession 
of the Virgin Mary, his 
mother, we may receive 
the joys of eternal life. 
Through the same Christ 
our Lord. 
R. Amen. 



ON MEDITATION. 

With desolation is all the land made desolate ; because there is 
none that considereth in the heart. {Jer. xii 11.) 

I will meditate on thee in the morning; and in my meditation a 
fire shall flame out. (Psalms lxii and xxxviii.) 

IT will be in vain for you to promise yourself any solid 
or permanent fruits from the best instructions and read- 
ing, if you do not consider Meditation as one of your most 
important duties, and as such persevere in it with the ut- 
most exactness. A great deal depends on your conceiving 
such correct ideas of this holy exercise, as will prevent 
your being misled by the illusion of those who call Medita- 
tion an exercise of extreme difficulty, or else of too great 
sublimity for ordinary capacities. This opinion may be 
easily traced to the devil, the great enemy of all good ; 
particularly as it is universally held by such as are most in 
the habit of listening to his suggestions. Those who pro- 
nounce the most decidedly on the difficulty of Meditation, 
are always the very persons who never attempt it ; and 
who certainly, on that account alone, are, of all others, the 
least qualified to give an opinion, on an exercise of which 
they have no experimental knowledge. Still, notwith- 
standing the unfounded prejudices entertained against 
Meditation, nothing is more certain than that this exercise 
is one of the most efficacious anl necessary for those who 
would secure their salvation ; and that it is easy and 
adapted to the most limited understanding. 

Aware of this important truth, consider that some de- 
gree of Meditation is indispensably necessary, according to 



ON MEDITATION. 



61 



the unanimous opinion of the Holy Fathers : St. Augustin 
and St. Chrysostom assert that reflection and consideration 
on the truths of salvation are the foundation of good works ; 
and it is certainly clear to every one, that those who do not 
reflect or meditate on the maxims of the Gospel, on their 
various duties, on the obstacles which impede their pro- 
gress in virtue, and on the means best calculated fb re- 
move them, run a great risk of forgetting those maxims, 
neglecting those duties, yielding to those obstacles, and 
slighting those means ; consequently, of being eternally 
lost. On the contrary, those who meditate assiduously, 
morally insure their salvation ; because Meditation natu- 
rally produces such good desires, holy affections, and effi- 
cacious resolutions, as, at length, to excite to the execution 
of good designs, to the perfect amendment of life, and to 
the habitual practice of virtue. How consoling is it to 
think that an exercise so salutary, is likewise so easy ! 

In effect, nothing more is requisite for Meditation, than 
to be a reasonable creature, because Meditation is nothing 
more than an exercise of the three powers of the soul- — 
memory, understanding and will ; that is, an application of 
these three powers to some particular subject, whether spi- 
ritual or temporal. Therefore it is clear, that Meditation, 
rightly understood, is not only easy, but universally prac- 
tised, since all, from the highest to the lowest, have some 
object in view ; some scheme to accomplish ; some busi- 
ness to pursue : and there is no one, if he wish to avoid 
being rash or foolish, who does not frequently reflect on 
and adopt the means most likely to insure success. A 
Saint is not distinguished from a worldling, precisely by 
reflecting or meditating more frequently and more pro- 
foundly ; but by a d : Jfere?ice in the subject of his reflections 
or meditations. It is on the concerns of the soul only that 
Meditation is found troublesome and difficult. For exam- 
ple, what difficulty does a merchant find in meditating, 
that is, in reasoning or reflecting on commerce ? — a farmer 
upon husbandry ? — a tradesman upon his employments ? 
Those persons frequently call to mind what they have 
heard and read, for or against the plans they pursue, and 
thus they exercise the memory; — they make serious reflec- 
tions upon what they have found profitable or the reverse, 
and consider frequently how far their plans are calculated 
to insure success, or expose them to failure : this is the ex- 
ercise of the understanding. Lastly, however little capa- 

6 



62 



ON MEDITATION. 



city those persons may have, their reflections never fail to 
excite in their will hopes and desires of success, fears of 
danger, or sorrow for failures ; this is the exercise of the 
will: and these same reflections afterwards urge them to 
take precautions against the accidents they foresee, and 
adopt such measures as may repair past losses, and insure 
ultimate success. 

This is what is called Meditation ; and is it not clear, 
that it is practised by every description of persons ? What 
then can prevent you from reflecting or meditating on the 
momentous business of your salvation? Why can you 
not meditate on what may conduce to, or be an obstacle to 
the attainment of eternal felicity ? Why can you not ex- 
amine the state of your soul — its dispositions and inclina- 
tions, — and consider what you ought to pursue or avoid ? 
The whole secret is to think of eternity as often, at least, 
as worldlings do of time, — to feel as much interest for our 
sotds, as worldlings do for their bodies, — and to be as will- 
ing to encounter difficulties and overcome obstacles for im- 
mortal treasures, as worldlings are for perishable goods. 
But, alas ! the want of these dispositions is precisely what 
constitutes the difficulty of Meditation. With desolation, 
says the holy Scripture, is the land made desolate, because 
there is none that consider eth in the heart, on the danger he 
runs of eternal perdition, on the means of saving himself 
from unspeakable misery. As the dispositions for Medita- 
tion are acquired and perfected by the habit of meditating, 
you cannot be too strenuously exhorted to adopt this holy 
exercise, and to persevere in it. The great trttths of salva- 
tion are certainly the only subject worthy of your most 
serious consideration. 

METHOD OF MENTAL PRAYER. 

HAT is Mental Prayer? 

A. It is an elevation and an application of our mind 
and heart to God, in order to pay him our homages, to ex- 
pose to him our wants, and to advance in perfection, for his 
glory. 

Q. How is Mental Prayer divided ? 

A. Into three parts: the preparation, the body of the 
prayer and the conclusion. 

Q. How many preparations are there ? 

A. Three : the remote, the less remote and the imme- 
diate. ; 




ON MEDITATION. 



63 



Q. In what does the remote preparation consist ? 

A. In a great purity of heart ; a perfect mortification of 
the passions ; and in an interior and exterior recollec- 
tion. 

Q. In what does the less remote preparation consist ? 

A. In reading attentively, the evening before, the sub- 
ject of the Meditation intended for the following day ; and 
in foreseeing what fruit we may draw from it, according to 
the actual necessities of our soul : in passing over in our 
mind, before going to sleep, what we have read : and in re- 
flecting, while we are dressing in the morning, that we are 
going to appear before our God, our Father, our Jesus, our 
Judge ; considering what will be our homages to him, 
what considerations we will make, and what resolutions 
we will form. When the hour of prayer arrives, we 
should go with joy and humility. 

Q. In what does the immediate preparation consist ? 

A. In reflecting, with a lively faith, that we are in the 
presence of God ; in acknowledging ourselves unworthy 
to appear before him, and utterly incapable of meditating, 
as we ought. 

Q. How should we place ourselves in the presence of 
God? 

A. By an act of faith, that he is in the place in which 
we are, and in our hearts ; and by an act of adoration. 

Q. How are we to acknowledge our unworthiness to ap- 
pear before him ? 

A. We should, in consideration of our sins, enter into 
the most sincere sentiments of repentance, and make acts 
of humility, confusion and contrition ; — we should then 
unite ourselves to Jesus Christ, in order to appear before 
his Father, in his peoon, and to pray in his name. 

Q. What sentiments ought we to entertain of our inca- 
pacity ? 

A. We should wholly distrust our own mind, which is 
incapable of guiding us, in what regards the truths of sal- 
vation; and we should equally distrust our affections, 
which, ordinarily, tend to evil : therefore we should in- 
voke the light and guidance of the Holy Spirit, that we 
may make our prayer with proper dispositions. 

Q. How is the body of Mental Prayer divided? 

A. Into three parts : the first is called adoration ; the 
second, communion ; the third, co-operation. 

Q. Why is the first called adoration ? 



64 



ON MEDITATION. 



A. Because it is in this part, principally, we render our 
homages to God, and the principal of these is adora- 
tion. 

Q. How should we proceed in the first part ? 

A. We should begin by considering some attribute or 
perfection of the Holy Trinity, or some mystery or virtue 
of our Saviour. We should then pay him our homages, 
according to the subject of the Meditation. 

Q. What are these homages ? 

A. Adoration, praise, thanksgiving, love, joy and com- 
passion are the principal. 

Q. Is it necessary to make, in every Meditation, all 
these acts, and to make them in this order? 

A. No ; it is well to abandon ourselves to the affections 
which the Holy Spirit suggests, and to repeat them often. 

Q. Why is the second part called communion ? 

A. Because it makes us participate in the perfection or 
the virtue which we have adored in God or in Jesus Christ : 
now this participation in the gifts of God, in his perfec- 
tions, and in the virtues of Jesus Christ our Saviour, is, 
by the holy Fathers, called communion. 

Q. How is this communion or participation made ? 

A. It is made especially, by asking for the virtue or per- 
fection on which we have been meditating; for, by the 
fervent petition which we make in this point, we attract 
this virtue into our hearts. 

Q. Does it suffice in this point, to ask of God the grace 
to practise any particular virtue ? 

A. No : we must convince ourselves of the importance 
and necessity of it ; — reflect on ourselves in order to see 
clearly how much we stand in need of it; — and ask it 
with the greatest fervor. 

Q. Are there three divisions in this part ? 

A. Yes : the conviction, the reflection and the petition, 

Q. Why the conviction ? 

A. Because, being convinced of the importance and ne- 
cessity of virtue, we ask it with much greater fervor. We 
often neglect to ask, or ask coldly, for that which we do 
not consider important, or of which we are not persuaded 
we have great need. 

Q. Why should we reflect on oorselves ? 

A. Because, although we feel and acknowledge the ne- 
cessity of virtue, still, unless we are convinced of the ne- 
cessity we ourselves have of it — that we are wholly desti- 



ON MEDITATION. 



65 



tute of, or at least very deficient in it, — we do not ask it 
with the requisite fervor. 

Q. What must be done in order to convince ourselves ? 

A. We may either represent to our minds the motives in 
general, or, by a kind of examination, run over them one 
after another. 

Q. How is the reflection upon ourselves made ? 

A. By examining our thoughts, words and actions, to 
see how far we have acquired, or how far we are removed 
from, that perfection or virtue which we have convinced 
ourselves to be so important and necessary. 

Q. What sentiments ought to accompany this reflection ? 

A. Principally three: regret for the past; for having 
been so remiss in endeavoring to acquire that perfection to 
which we are obliged, and of which Jesus Christ has given 
us the example : confusion for the present ; being ashamed 
before God to see ourselves bearing so little resemblance 
to our Divine Model : desires for the future ; these desires 
make us pass to the petition for such a grace, such a 
virtue, &c. 

Q. What ought to be the qualities of our petition? 
A. Particularly three ; humility, confidence, and perse- 
verance. 

Q. May we endeavor to move God to grant our re- 
quests, by alleging reasons why he should be propitious 
to lis I ; 

A, We may ; and this is an excellent practice. 

Q. What are the principal of these reasons ? 

A. There are many. We m&y, among others, humbly 
represent that it is his will ; — that it is for his glory ; — that 
he should not suffer in his Church, which he cherishes, nor 
in a Community so dear to his heart, one so imperfect ; — 
that he should have regard to our frequent Communions ; 
— that his Son, the amiable object of all his complacency, 
who, during his mortal life, sought his glory so faithfully, 
even at the expense of his own (as man), will be so little 
glorified by us, and so badly received hi our hearts. Above 
all, we should represent his goodness, his infinite liberality, 
the merits of his Son, and his promises in the holy Scrip- 
ture. 

Q. Is it well to ask the assistance of the Blessed Virgin, 
of our holy Guardian Angel, holy patrons and patronesses, 
and of the other Angels and Saints ? 

A. Yes, and that will help us much. 

6* 



66 



ON MEDITATION. 



Q. May we ask any other virtue beside that suggested 
by the Meditation ? 

A. We may ; and it is well to let our petition include all 
our wants : we should also pray for the Community, for 
those to whom we are under any obligation, and for the 
wants of the Church. 

Q. After having thus endeavored to attract the Spirit of 
God, and his grace, into our hearts, what should we then 
do? 

A. As grace effects nothing without our co-operation, 
we must pass to the third point of the body of the prayer 
— co-operation. 

Q. Why is this point so called? 

A. Because it is in this point that, co-operating with 
grace, we resolve to live, in future, conformably to the 
lights and affections which we have received ; and we de- 
termine to practise these resolutions from this moment ; — 
for example, such a mortification, such a humiliation; — to 
seek occasions to oblige one who has injured us, &c. &e. 

Q. What should be the qualities of these resolutions ? 

A. They ought to be particular, suited to our present 
necessities, practicable, humble, full of confidence and 
often repeated, — efficacious. 

Q. In what does the last part or conclusion consist ? 

A. In thanking God for having permitted us to remain 
in his presence, and for the graces bestowed on us during 
prayer ; in begging pardon for the faults committed in this 
holy exercise ; in supplicating our infinitely good and mer- 
ciful God to bless our resolutions, notwithstanding our in- 
fidelities. We should also make a spiritual bouquet. 

Q. How is this spiritual bouquet to be made I 

A. St. Francis of Sales teaches us : Take, he says, one 
or two of the thoughts which have most moved you in 
prayer, and which you think, before God, to be the most 
useful. These thoughts will supply you, during the day, 
with ejaculatory prayers. 

Finally, we should say the prayer: We fly to thy pa- 
tronage, &c, and put all in the hands of the Blessed Vir- 
gin. 

IMPORTANT REMARKS 

FOE. MAKING MEDITATION WELL. 

THER.E are certain things to be observed before Medi- 
tation, during Meditation, and after Meditation. 



ON MEDITATION. 



67 



BEFORE MEDITATION. 

E must dispose ourselves for it, by purity of heart ; 
flight from sin ; interior and exterior recollection ; 
and by a pure intention of seeking in prayer only the glory 
of God, and our advancement in virtue. 

We must prepare the subject of Meditation, by reading 
it, or hearing it read, the evening before. And in the 
morning we should pass it over in our mind, and foresee 
what homage we will render to God in the first point ; — 
what considerations and petitions we will make in the 
second point ; — and what resolutions we will take in the 
third point. 

DURING MEDITATION. 

IT is not necessary to make, in one Meditation, many 
considerations, nor all the act^andicated in the method. 
When we are usefully occupied in some consideration, or 
in producing some holy affections, as those of the love of 
God, sorrow for sin, &c, we must not desist under pre- 
text of passing to some other. Nevertheless, as the exer- 
cising of ourselves in holy affections is the most important 
part of the Meditation, it is to this we should give the most 
attention. 

Although we should suffer much from distractions, dry- 
ness, and even from temptations, still we must not be dis- 
couraged, nor abandon this holy exercise ; but we should 
persevere in it, renouncing faithfully all distractions and 
temptations, and suffering patiently all weariness and dry- 
ness. 

At the end of Meditation, it is well to collect together 
our good resolutions, and to beg our Blessed Mother, our 
good Angel, and our holy patrons and patronesses, to ob- 
tain that we may be faithful to them. And we should not 
neglect to make a spiritual bouquet; 




AFTER MEDITATION. 

WE must guard against dissipation, and also against 
suffering our mind to be so far engrossed by exte- 
rior duties as to prevent our making from time to time 
some aspirations, renewing the offering of our actions, ask- 
ing for grace to perform them well, &c. 

And, during the day, we should recall the good resolu- 
tions taken, and watch for the occasions to put them in 



68 PRAYERS BEFORE MEDITATION. 



practice. It is profitable to write down sometimes what 
has most moved us, and the resolutions we have made, 
particularly during retreats. And it would be useful to read 
over, from time to time, what we have written. 

A PRAYER BEFORE MEDITATION. 

MY God, my Creator, my last End and my All ! 
I firmly believe that thou art here present ; — 
that lam in thee, and that thou art in me ; — that thy 
eyes are fixed, on me, as if I were the only one in the 
world. I adore thee, my God ! with the most pro- 
found respect of which I am capable, and unite this 
adoration to that which thou receivest from thy Angels 
and Saints in heaven, and faithful on earth. 

It is for thy glory, and for the sanctification of my 
soul, my God ! that I desire to make this Medita- 
tion. I renounce all the distractions which I may 
have through the levity of my mind, and through the 
artifices of the enemy. 

Adorable Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Ghost ! I 
consecrate to thee my memory, understanding and 
will. Grant me, I most humbly beseech thee, the at- 
tention, lights and affections, necessary to profit by 
this Meditation. 

O my most amiable Saviour! permit me to unite 
myself to thee, and to pray in thy name. my 
Blessed Virgin Mother, my holy Angel, holy patrons 
and patronesses, assist me. 

ANOTHER PRAYER, 
IVTiich may be used before Meditation. 

OMY Jesus ! I desire to enter into thy sacred 
heart, and to make my prayer there ; that I may 
pray with thee and through thee, and adore the Father, 
in spirit and in truth. O my soul ! let us unite, as 
closely as possible, to this source of all graces and 
blessings, that our heart may be inflamed, our mind 
enlightened, and all our deficiencies supplied. 



ASPIRATION'S FOR VARIOUS OCCASIONS. 69 



A PRAYER, 

When the soul is afflicted by dryness and tepidity. 

MY God ! I am truly nothing, and I can do no- 
thing. I do not know even what to say to thee ; 
but listen to the heart of thy Divine Son ; I offer to 
thee all that he said in his fervent prayers. 

— ♦ — 

ASPIRATIONS FOR VARIOUS OCCASIONS. 

TN addition to the Aspirations, which each day's Medi- 
1 tation will afford, the following may be used on vari- 
ous occasions. 

Make these Aspirations^ prostrate in spirit^ before the Tabernacle. 

. Q my God ! I believe in thee, do thou strengthen my 
faith. 

Lord, increase my faith. 
My Lord and my God ! 

1 believe ; — Lord, help my unbelief. 

I adore thee, O Holy Trinity ! and most humbly give 
thee thanks for having revealed to us this glorious, incom- 
prehensible mystery. 

Glory be to the adorable Persons of the Blessed Trinity, 
as great, now and for ever, as it was from the beginning. 

Most adorable Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, 
one essence in three persons, I most humbly adore thee. 

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy 
Ghost, &c. 

I hope in thee, my sweet Jesus, because thou art a God 
full of goodness and mercy. 

In thee, my Saviour, do I hope, let me never be con- 
founded. 

I will never despair, but I will trust with loving confi- 
dence in him who was wounded for my iniquities, and 
bruised for my sins. 

Trusting in thy infinite mercy and goodness, my God ! 
I hope to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. 

My God ! all my hopes are in thee, do thou secure them. 

My God ! grant that I may love thee with all my heart, 
soul, mind and strength, in time and in eternity. 



70 ASPIRATIONS FOR VARIOUS OCCASIONS. 

My God ! give me a love stronger than death. 

My Jesus! grant that I may love thee daily more and more. 

My God, eternal love of my soul ! let thy divine love 
consume my miserable self-love. 

Jesus, lover of mankind ! grant that every breath I draw 
may be as so many acts of love to thee, in thy tabernacle 
of love. 

Oh ! that I could possess the hearts of all mankind, and 
with them love thee, my Jesus, as thou deservest. 

O God of charity ! may I ever live in charity, that I 
may dwell in thee, and thou in me. 

Lord ! enkindle in me the fire of thy love and the 
flame of everlasting charity. 

1 am sorry that I have ever offended thee, my God ! do 
thou increase my sorrow. 

My good God ! I am sorry, from the bottom of my 
heart, for every sin, that I have ever committed, purely 
because sin is offensive to thee. 

Jesus ! Son of David, have mercy on me. 

O God ! be merciful to me a sinner. 

Thou who hast created me, have mercy on me. 

The sins of my youth and my ignorances, remember 
not, O Lord. 

From my hidden sins, cleanse me, O Lord! and from 
the sins of others spare thy servant. 

Have mercy on me, O God! according to thy great 
mercy : and according to the multitude of thy tender mer- 
cies, blot out my iniquity. 

My soul ! deplore thy ingratitude — thou hast not loved 
him who has loved thee with an eternal love, and even 
unto death, and the death of the Cross. 

Adorable Jesus ! overwhelmed with sorrow for my sins 
in the Garden of Olives, give me the grace of sincere con- 
trition, and perfect conformity to thy holy will. 

O my Divine Jesus ! grant that the remembrance of thy 
sufferings may fill my soul with the most tender senti- 
ments of gratitude for thy love, and of sorrow for my sins 
and those of the whole world. 

Remember not, O Lord ! our offences, nor those of our 
parents ; and take not revenge on our sins. 

My God ! grant that from pure love of thee, I may 
dread even the shadow of sin. 

. My God ! I am sorry for every want of correspondence 
to divine grace. 



ASPIRATIONS FOR VARIOUS OCCASIONS. 71 



O thou, in whose sight the stars are not pure, cast me 
not away from thy face, and take not thy holy spirit from 
me. 

Spare, Lord ! spare thy people. 1 
Eternal Father ! I offer thee the precious blood of Jesus 

Christ in expiation of my sins, and for the wants of the 

holy Church. 

Hallowed be thy name. 

May thy name, my God, be praised, loved and adored 
by all. 

my God! may I always pronounce thy name with 
adoring love. 

From the rising of the sun to the going down of the 
same, the name of the Lord is worthy of praise. 

1 will praise thee, O Lord, my God ! with my whole 
heart, and I will glorify thy holy name for ever. 

Praise ye the Lord, for the Lord is good : sing ye to his 
name, for it is sweet. 

My Jesus ! let thy holy name be the seal of my heart. 

In the name of Jesus, let every knee bend, of those that 
are in heaven, on earth and under the earth. 

My sweet Jesus ! grant that the most ardent love of 
thee may imprint on our hearts thy sacred name ; that it 
may be always in our minds and frequently on our lips. 

May all the world adore thee, O my God ! and magnify 
thy holy name. 

Thy kingdom come. — My sweet Jesus, reign sovereign 
in my heart, alid in the hearts of all. 

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 

Father ! not my will, but thine be done. 

My God! my only desire is to accomplish thy holy 
will. 

Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God. 

My God ! grant that I may clearly know thy holy will, 
and steadily execute it. <* 

Lord ! I desire that in all things thy will may be done, 
because it is thy will. 

May the most just, the most high, and the most amiable 
will of God, be in all things fulfilled, praised and exalted 
above all, for ever. 

Father ! give to thy children every thing that is neces- 
sary, and that would be beneficial to them. 

Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that tres- 
pass against us. 



72 ASPIRATIONS FOR VARIOUS OCCASIONS. 



Father ! forgive them, for they know not wh*t they do. 

Lord ! lay not this sin to their charge. 

My God ! I forgive from my heart all who have injured 
me ; and I beg for them all the graces of which they 
stand in need. 

If they have, by injuring me, offended thee, my God ! 
forgive them, I beseech thee. 

Preserve me, O my God ! from every sentiment of 
aversion, antipathy, hatred or revenge. 

My God ! I desire to love, for the love of thee, all who 
have offended or injured me. 

Holy Spirit ! whose divine unction teaches and inflames 
the heart, descend upon us. 

Come, O Holy Spirit ! replenish our hearts with love ; 
and make us run in the paths of perfection. 

O Holy Spirit ! impart to us thy wisdom, to discern, on 
all occasions, the most perfect path, and thy fortitude to 
pursue it. 

O sacred wounds of my Jesus ! plead for me, now and 
at the hour of my death. 

Eternal Father ! look upon the face of thy Son ; — look on 
his wounds, which implore thee, to have pity on me. 

O sacred heart of Jesus ! only offering worthy of thy 
Father, unite me with thyself, in sacrifice of praise ana* 
love to him. 

O sacred heart of Jesus ! burning with love for us, in- 
flame our hearts with the love of thee. 

O Jesus ! give us thy heart, as a pledge of thy love, and 
as a place of refuge, that we may find therein a secure re- 
pose during life, and a sweet comfort at the hour of death. 

My Saviour ! hide me in thy sacred heart, until the 
storm of life is past. 

My Jesus ! give me a heart conformable to thy own 
sacred heart. 

Give me an humble heart, loving an abject and a hidden 
life. 

Give me a meek heart, ready to bear all in silence — to 
pardon and forget the greatest injuries. 

Give me a patient heart, tranquil in the severest trials.* 

Give me a heart filled with the love of poverty, and with 
contempt for all earthly things. 

Give me a pure heart, having a horror for the pleasures 
©f sense. 

Give me an obedient heart, having no will but that of God. 



ASPIRATIONS FOR VARIOUS OCCASIONS. 73 

Give me a hesrt always in peace. 

Give me a heart delighting in prayer, and making this 
heavenly exercise its chief occupation. 

Give me a heart having no joy but that of seeing God 
known, loved, served and honored. 

Give me a heart, having no sadness but that of seeing 
God ofTended. 

Give me a heart having no aversion but for sin. 

Give me a heart having no desire but for the glory of 
God and for the salvation of souls. 

All for thee, O my God ! all for thy greater honor and 
glory and pure love. 

Deliver me, my God ! from placing my affections on any 
of thy creatures, which would divert me from continually 
looking up to thee. 

My God ! grant that I may see thee in all, and all in thee. 

My Jesus ! grant that I may go generously on, from 
virtue to virtue, till I arrive unto the clear vision of thy 
glorious Majesty. 

My Jesus ! Divine Sun of Justice, enlighten me to know 
thy goodness, and all those things which are most accept- 
able to thee. 

My God ! bestow on me a sincere and ardent desire of 
perfection. 

My God ! thou art omnipotent : make me holy. 

O God of peace ! restore peace to my troubled soul. 

Give me thy blessing, my Jesus ! and establish my soul 
in everlasting peace. 

If it be for thy honor, that I suffer interior desolation, I 
accept it from thy hands, my God ! 

Lord, if it be thy will, I desire to drink this chalice to 
the very dregs. — Thy giace is all-sufficient for me. 

My sweet Jesus ! let the remembrance of thy bitter 
Passion and of the pains thou sufferedst for me, strengthen - 
me in all trials and afflictions. 

O Jesus ! calumniated, accused, despised ! teach me to 
disregard the judgments of men ; and grant that for the 
love of thee I may suffer with patience and in silence the 
basest injuries. 

O my Jesus ! grant that I may always unite my suffer- 
ings to thine. 

O my Redeemer ! do not permit that I should ever be 
so ungrateful as to forget thy sufferings, or to think of them 
with indifference. 

7 



74 ASPIRATIONS FOR VARIOUS OCCASIONS. 



my Divine Saviour ! I most humbly beseech thee, to 
penetrate my soul with the most lively gratitude for the 
infinite love, which brought thee from heaven to suffer and 
die for me. 

My sweet Jesus ! by all thou hast done and suffered for 
me, grant me the grace of final perseverance. 

Watch over me, O Lord ! for, abandoned to myself, I 
shall certainly betray thee. 

Incline unto my aid, O God ! — O Lord ! make haste to 
help me. 

Protect me, Lord, against all my enemies ; and in all 
dangers, appear in my defence. 

1 will not fear, though I walk in the midst of the shadow 
of death, because thou art with me, O Lord ! 

My Jesus ! remain always with me — still support and 
comfort me. 

O Lord ! preserve me as the apple of thine eye, and 
under the shadow of thy wings protect me. 

Assist me, my Jesus ! that I may continually labor to 
overcome nature. 

My God ! teach me to know thee — teach me to know 
myself. 

Prevent me, my Jesus ! from being unfaithful to any one 
of thy graces. 

My God ! enlighten all who are in error. 

Have mercy on all sinners, O Jesus! I beseech thee. 

My Jesus ! merciful Saviour ! comfort all who are in 
need of consolation. 

O bountiful God ! provide for all who are in want. 

God of Goodness ! let the light of thy mercies shine on 
the poor souls in purgatory. 

My Jesus ! have mercy on all the souls in purgatory, 
through thy bitter passion, I beseech thee, and thy glori- 
ous name, Jesus. 

O merciful Father of all mankind ! for the sake of Jesus, 
our Divine Saviour, despise not my supplication in behalf 
of thy dear suffering children, who can no longer implore 
mercy for themselves. 

Father ! have pity on all thy suffering children. 

Lord, that I may see ! 

Lord ! if thou wilt, thou can^t make me clean. 
It is good for me, O Lord ! that thou hast humbled me : 
for I have thereby learned thy justifications. 



ASPIRATIONS FOR VARIOUS OCCASIONS. 75 



Set a watch, O Lord ! before my mouth, and a door 
round about my lips. 

My God ! make me wise as the serpent, and simple as 
the dove. 

My Saviour ! keep me continually mortified to this 
world, and grant that, being cleansed thoroughly by the 
fire of thy love, I may immediately pass hence into thy 
everlasting possessions. 

Fountain of all goodness ! bless all our undertakings, to 
thy greater honor and glory and the salvation of souls. 

O Eternal Father ! in the name of thy holy Jesus, I 
humbly beseech thee, mercifully to grant my petition. 

Praise the Lord, for he is good ; for his mercy endureth 
for ever. 

To thee, O Lord ! be glory and honor ; let shame and 
confusion be my portion. 

O praise the Lord, all ye nations ! praise him all ye 
people, &c. 

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and of his 
greatness there is no end. 

that I could now give thee, O Lord! all that honor, 
praise and glory with which the angels and blessed spirits 
praise and glorify thee in heaven. 

Let all thy works praise thee, O Lord ! and let thy 
saints bless thee. 

Fire, hail, snow, ice, stormy winds which fulfil his 
word; kings of the earth and all people; every spirit, 
praise the Lord ! 

Most adorable Trinity ! I thank thee for creating my 
soul to thy own image and likeness. 

Most holy Trinity! Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! I 
consecrate to thee my memory, will and understanding : 
grant that they may be ever employed to thy greater 
honor and glory. 

Great God ! Father, Son and Holy Ghost ! have mercy 
on us. 

Holy God ! holy and strong God ! holy and immortal 
God ! have mercy on me. 
Sweet Jesus ! make me thy own. 
My God and my all ! 

O my Jesus ! God of inconceivable love ! grant that I 
may never approach thy sacred altar, without remember- 
ing thy sufferings with contrition and love. 



♦ 



76 ASPIRATIONS FOR VARIOUS OCCASIONS. 



Eternal praise and thanksgiving be to the most holy and 
adorable sacrament of the altar ! 

My dearest Saviour ! my heart desires to be always be- 
fore thee, in thy tabernacle of love. 

My heart sighs for thee, my sweet Jesus ! 

My Jesus ! my soul longs to be united to thee in the 
adorable sacrament of thy love. 

My God ! grant that I may receive thee, divested of 
myself. 

My God ! make my heart a habitation in which thou 
wilt delight to abide. 

O Living Bread ! be thou my support in this life, and 
my viaticum to a happy eternity. 

My Jesus ! I commit my last hour and all that shall fol- 
low, into thy hands. 

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you my heart, &c. 

Blessed be "the most pure and immaculate conception oi 
the most Blessed Virgin Mary. 

By thy sacred virginity and immaculate conception, 
most pure Virgin ! intercede for me ; obtain for me a true 
purity of soul and body, in the name of the Father, &c. 

Holy Angel, my guide and friend, pray for me. 

Holy Angel, my counsellor and intercessor, pray for 
me. 

Holy Angel, my protector and comforter, pray for me. 
My good Angel, obtain for me docility to all your inspi- 
rations. 

My dear Angel ! thou ivho always standest before the Lord. 
love him for me, adore him for me, and keep me always 
attentive to his holy presence. 

Angel of God, &c. 

Blessed St. Michael, obtain for me humility of mind and 
heart. 

Glorious St. Michael, Prince of the heavenly host, inter- 
cede for me, in the last and awful combat. 

Blessed St. Joseph, our Patron, obtain that we may lead 
a truly interior life, and expire in the arms of Jesus and 
Mary. 

Blessed St. Vincent, our holy Founder, obtain for us all, 
the true spirit of our vocation. 

O great Saint ! whose name I bear, grant me thy par- 
ticular protection in every danger of soul and bodv ; obtain 
lor me the grace of fidelity to all the obligations of my holy 
state. 



ASPIRATIONS FOR VARIOUS OCCASIONS. 77 



My heart hath uttered a good word ! I speak my wants 
to the King. 

I have chosen to be an abject in the house of my God. 

Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, O Lord ! they 
shall praise thee for ever and ever. 

One thing I have asked of the Lord, this will I seek 
after ; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord, all the 
days of my life. 

The mercies of my God I will sing for ever. 

"Each action of the day may be offered up for one or more of the fol- 
lowing intentions ; thus: 

O my Jesus ! give thy blessing to this action — cover it 
with thy merits. I offer it for our most holy Father, the 
Pope — the Archbishop — Bishop — our Superiors — Confes- 
sors—all Pastors of souls — all Ecclesiastical Seminaries — 
the propagation of our holy Faith — all religious orders — 
our own dear Community — that of my dear Sisters who is 
in need of special graces — my father — my mother — my 
brothers — sisters — relations and friends — benefactors — the 
conversion of all in error or infidelity — the most obdurate — 
the poor — the sick — all in affliction — the agonizing — the 
dear suffering souls in purgatory. 

Sometimes say : 

my Jesus ! I unite this action to those which thou 
didst perform, whilst on earth, for the glory of thy Father 
and for the salvation of. souls. 

From time to time, during your actions, say : 
My God ! if was for thee I began, and it is for thee, I 
continue ; let all that I do, be always done for thy glory, 
for my own sanctification, and for the salvation of souls. I 
renew the offering of this action especially for . 



7* 



PRAYERS AND ASPIRATIONS FOR SOME PARTICU- 
LAR OCCASIONS. 



WHEN THE CLOCK STRIKES. 

MY God ! I offer thee, in expiation of my sins, and 
in atonement for all that have been committed dur- 
ing this hour, all the acts of love by which the sacred heart 
of Jesus glorified thee during this same hour, whilst on 
earth. 

or : 

Thy kingdom come ; thy will be done on earth as it is 
in heaven. 

or : 

Glory be to the Father, &c. 

And always say : 
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, &c., and apply the Indulgences 
to the souls in purgatory. 

BEFORE THE FIRE. 

OMY Jesus ! inflame my cold heart with the fire that 
ever burns in thy sacred heart ; and through thy in- 
finite merits, deliver me from the eternal fire, which I de- 
serve on account of my sins. 

BEFORE RECREATION, AND BEFORE PAYING OR RE- 
CEIVING VISITS. 

GRANT, O my God ! that my whole deportment may 
be such as becomes a spouse of Jesus Christ ; — close 
my heart against the spirit of the world, and against every 
sentiment that would be, in the least, displeasing to thee ; 
— teach me, thyself, what I ought to say ; — preserve me, I 
beseech thee, from offending thee by my words. 

or : 

O my Jesus ! who vouchsafedst to converse with men, 
during thy mortal life ; mercifully grant, that, in my inter- 
course with others, I may be always animated with dispo- 
sitions similar to thine. 

Oh I when shall I be so happy as to speak only for thee, 
of thee, or with thee, my God ? 
78 



PRAYERS AND ASPIRATIONS. 79 

WHEN WALKING. 

DIVINE Jesus! I unite all my steps with those thou 
didst take for me ; I desire to unite them, especially 
with those thou didst take during thy bitter passion. 

or: 

Let my life be one continued course towards thee, my 
God ! and let my desire to please thee become more and 
more ardent. 

or : 

Great God ! how admirable are thy works ! O grant 
that I may ever see thee in all things, and all things in 
thee. 

AT THE APPROACH OF TEMPTATION. 

MY God ! let me rather die than offend thee. 
My Divine Saviour ! assist me by thy powerful 
grace : mercifully preserve me from yielding to this temp- 
tation, and give me a great horror for sin. 
Lord ! save me, or I shall perish. 

WHEN YOU HAVE COMMITTED SIN. 

ALAS ! my God, another fault ! Art thou not ready to 
withdraw thy graces from me ? But, my infinitely 
good God ! I repent ; and I offer thee in expiation of this 
Fault, all that my Divine Saviour has done to expiate it ; — 
I offer thee the sorrow of hie sacred heart. My God ! be 
propitious to me for his sake, and because I am a sinner. 

AT THE SIGHT OF A CRUCIFIX. 

LORD Jesus ! by that bitterness thou sufferedst for me 
on the cross, chiefly when thy blessed soul was sepa- 
rated from thy body, have mercy on my soul, now and at 
its departure from this world, that it may be admitted to 
life everlasting. 

or : 

To what excess, O my Saviour ! hast thou loved me ? 
O Jesus ! crucified for my salvation, save me. 

or : 

O Saviour of mankind ! have mercy on all sinners, and 
according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out 
their iniquity. 



80 PRAYERS AND ASPIRATIONS. 

OR.: 

I thank thee, O my Jesus ! for all thy love and mercy 
to me ; and I am sorry for all my ingratitude to thee. 

AT THE SIGHT OF A PICTURE OF SOME SAINT. 

PRAY for me, O happy Saint ! your time of probation 
is passed. When shall I, like you, be no longer ex- 
posed to the danger of offending my God ? 

WHEN YOU TAKE UP A BOOK. 

FOUNTAIN of all light ! vouchsafe, I beseech thee, 
to enlighten my understanding: give me a diligent 
and docile spirit, and an efficacious desire to apply what- 
ever I read to the glory of God, the sanctification of my 
soul, and the salvation of others. 

AFTER READING. 

OMY God! foster the divine seed which thou hast 
sown in my soul. 

or : 

Grant, O my Jesus ! that like thy blessed Mother, I 
may keep all thy words, pondering them in my heart. 

FOR THE PROSPERITY OF OUR HOLY RELIGION. 

OMY God ! make thy holy Church victorious over all 
her enemies, and preserve all her members in thy 
heavenly peace and love. 

O infinite Source of all perfection, attract all hearts to 
thyself, and fill them with thy divine charity. 

O God of all ! have mercy on all — lift up thy hand over 
the strange nations, that they may see thy 'power; that they 
may know thee, as we also have known thee. 

BEFORE MEALS. 

BLESS us, O Lord ! and these thy gifts, which we are 
about to receive from thy bounty; through Christ, 
our Lord. Amen. 

AFTER MEALS. ' 

E give thee thanks, O Almighty God! for these 
and all thy blessings ; through Christ, our Lord. 
Amen. 




EXAMEN OF CONSCIENCE. 




AT the right hand, say the Psalm: Praise the Lord, 
all ye nations, &c, or make some other act of thanks- 
giving, — for your creation, redemption and preservation ; 
your call to the true Faith and to a life of special conse- 
cration ; and for the graces and blessings received during 
the day. At the left hand, petition for light — to know 
yourself, and particularly to discover all the sins and im- 
perfections of the present day. At the right foot, examine 
your conscience. At the left foot, make an act of contri- 
tion. At the sacred side, make a firm purpose of amend- 
ment, with diffidence in yourself, but unbounded confi- 
dence in God ; and place your resolutions in your Saviour's 
heart. 

♦ 

ON THE PARTICULAR EXAIEN. 

THE particular examen is the same, in all its parts, as 
the general one, and differs from it only in the subject 
of examination. The general examen embraces our whole 
conduct, and takes a view of all the sins and imperfections 

81 



82 



ON THE PARTICULAR EXAMEN. 



that we have committed during the day ; but the particular 
one is confined to one subject only, to one vice, passion or 
evil propensity, which we are endeavoring to eradicate. 
There are few, if any, who have not, naturally, a strong 
propensity to some particular passion ; and we are but too 
much inclined to yield to the impulses of this natural dis- 
position, which when indulged grows stronger and stronger, 
until it become an inveterate habit. Now it is absolutely 
necessary for the attainment of perfection, nay, of salva- 
tion, that we eradicate from our hearts this predominant 
passion or evil propensity ; for experience shows that this 
is the principal source of all our sins, and that by it we 
are exposed to the greatest danger of losing our souls. If 
we obtain the mastery over our predominant fault, we shall 
find little difficulty in conquering all the rest. And this is 
what the particular examen chiefly aims at — the destroying 
of this our greatest enemy. 

In the morning, when we resolve in general not to offend 
God, we must be careful to make a particular resolution 
against this enemy, — to foresee the occasions in which we 
may be exposed to danger from it, and determine, with 
God's assistance, not to yield to it on any account. Then, 
at noon and at ni^ht, when we make our examination, we 
must inquire particularly on this head — whether, and how 
often, we have resisted its attacks, and obtained a victory 
over it ; or whether, and how often, we have yielded to it. 
For every victory gained, let us make an act of thanksgiv- 
ing to God, with our whole heart ; and let us make sin- 
cere acts of humiliation and contrition, if we have been 
overcome, and renew our resolutions, with more diffidence 
in ourselves and greater confidence in God. We should 
always impose a suitable penance on ourselves, for every 
time we have failed. 

In order to obtain the full benefit of this examen, we shoidd observe 
the following particulars : 

1st. To make the examen on one subject only. And al- 
though we should have several bad habits or passions to 
contend with, we should not take them altogether for the 
matter of our particular examen, but only one of them at a 
time ; when we have conquered that one, we may take an- 
other. 

2d. To begin with that to which we are most subject, 
and by which we are most frequently exposed to danger. 



EVENING PRAYERS. 



83 



3d. To beg, in all our prayers, meditations and pious 
exercises, for grace to overcome ou«* predominant fault. 
This grace we must ask for, particula. ly during the divine 
sacrifice of Mass and after holy Communion. 

4th. To make, frequently during the day, ejaculatory 
prayers for the same intention, and to renew our morning 
resolution not to yield to this our greatest enemy. 

5th. To be particularly careful to resist its attacks, what 
ever it may cost us, and how strongly soever we may find 
ourselves inclined to yield. 

6th. Always to impose on ourselves a suitable penance, 
when we have been overcome. 

It is obvious that, while we are eradicating our vicious 
habits, we must be acquiring the virtues opposed to them : 
therefore, we may say, the particular examen has for its 
object the acquiring of those virtues which will render us 
most pleasing to God. 

See Christian Perfection, vol. 1. Seventh Treatise. 

» 

EVENING PRAYERS. 

In the name of the Father, &c. 

Let us enter in spirit into the adorable heart of Jesus ; let us place our- 
selves in the pretence of God ; let us adore him and give him thank-3 
for all the benefits v:e have received from him particularly this day. 

OMY God ! we adore thee through the sacred 
heart of thy Divine Son, as our Creator and Sove- 
reign Good ; we give thee thanks for all thy mercies 
to us, spiritual and temporal, general and particular, 
but more especially for the favors bestowed on us this 
day. May thy holy name be eternally praised and 
glorified, and may we never be ungrateful for thy 
bounties. Amen, 

Let us ask of our Lord Jesus Christ the grace to discover the sins ice 
have committed this day. and let us beg of him a true sorroiv for 
them. 

OMY Lord Jesus Christ! Judge of the living 
and the dead, before whom we must one day ap- 
pear to give an exact account of our whole life ; en- 



84 



EVENING PRAYERS. 



lighten us, we beseech thee, and give us an humble 
and contrite heart, that we may see wherein we have 
offended thy infinite Majesty, and judge ourselves 
now with such a just severity that thou may est then 
judge us with mercy and clemency. 

Let us examine ourselves, and consider how we have spent this day ; 
what sins we have committed against God, our neighbor, or our- 
selves ; and reflect whether ive have complied with the full duty of 
our state of life. 

Here pause ten minutes for # the general examen. 
Then say the Confiteor, the Lord's Prayer, the 
Hail Mary, and the Apostles' Creed. 

1% /TOST merciful Lord ! we are sorry from the bot- 
JltJL torn of our hearts for all the sins we have com- 
mitted, purely because they are offensive to thee, who 
art a God of infinite goodness : we sincerely detest 
them, and firmly purpose, through thy holy grace, 
never to offend thee any more. Enlighten oar under- 
standings, and strengthen our wills, that we may per- 
severe in thy favor till death. Amen. 

O my God ! we firmly believe all the sacred truths 
the Catholic Church believes and teaches, because 
thou hast revealed them. 

Relying on thy goodness and promises, we hope to 
obtain the pardon of our sins, and life everlasting, 
through the merits of Jesus Christ, and by the inter- 
cession of his blessed Mother, and of all the Saints. 

We love thee, above all things, with our whole 
heart and soul, purely for thyself, and we desire to 
love thee, as the blessed do in heaven. We also love 
our neighbor, for thy sake, as we love ourselves. And 
we sincerely forgive all who have injured us, and ask 
pardon of all whom we have injured. 

We adore all the designs of thy Divine Providence, 
resigning ourselves entirely to thy will. We renounce 
the devil with all his works, the world with all its 



EVENING PRAYERS. 



85 



pomps, and the flesh with all its temptations. We 
desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ. 

y. Father, into thy hands we commend our spirit. 

R. Sweet Jesus ! receive our souls. May the 
Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, and all the Saints 
and Angels, glorify and love the sacred heart of Jesus 
for us this night, and pray for us to our Lord, that we 
may be preserved during it from all sin and evil. 

Blessed St. Michael, defend us in the day of battle, 
that we may not be lost at the dreadful judgment. O 
Angels of God ! to whose care we are committed by 
the Supreme Clemency, enlighten, govern and defend 
us, this night, from all sin and danger. 

Save us, O Lord ! waking, and keep us sleeping, 
that we may watch with Christ, and rest in peace. 
Aram, 

y . Vouchsafe, Lord ! this night to keep us with- 
out sin. 

Yy . Have mercy on us, Lord ! have mercy on us. 

"V. O Lord, hear our prayer. 

R. And let our supplication come unto thee. 

VISIT, we beseech thee, Lord ! this habitation, 
and drive from it all the snares of the enemy. 
Let thy holy Angels dwell herein, to preserve us in 
peace ; and may thy blessing be upon us for ever : 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen, 

G1 OD the Father! bless us: Jesus Christ! defend 
r and keep us : Divine Spirit ! enlighten and sanc- 
tify us, this night, and for ever : and may the souls of 
the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest 
in peace. Amen, 

£~\ LORD Jesus Christ ! we humbly beg of thee, 
\_J by the precious blood thou didst shed for us in 
the Garden of Olives, that thou wilt give thy bless- 
ing to those who are in their agony ; and that thou 
wilt deliver the poor souls from purgatory, but espe- 
cially the most abandoned. Conduct them to thy 

8 



86 



EVENING PRAYERS. 



glory, where they will praise and bless thee for ever 
and ever. Amen, 

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the 
Holy Ghost, &c. {seven times.) 

Hail Mary, &c. 

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of hosts : all the 
earth is full of thy glory. Glory be to the Father, &c. 

THE LITANY OF ST. JOSEPH. 

LORD, have mercy on us. 
Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ, hear us. • 
Christ, graciously hear us. 
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us. 
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy 
on us. 

God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us. 
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. 
Holy Mary, Spouse of St. Joseph, 
St. Joseph, chosen of God to be the Spouse of 
Mary, 

St. Joseph, filled with the blessing of heaven, 
St. Joseph, first among the patriarchs, 
St. Joseph, a helper given to Mary like unto 
herself, 

St. Joseph, the Virgin Consort of a Virgin 
Mother, 

St. Joseph, comfort of the Mother of God, 
St. Joseph, Son of David, 
St. Joseph, after Mary, first adorer of Jesus 
Infant, 

St. Joseph, the reputed father of the Son of 
God, 

St. Joseph, whom the Lord made master of his 
house, and ruler of his possessions, 

St. Joseph, ruler of the Lord of the universe, 
St. Joseph, governor of incarnate Wisdom, 



5 



EVENING PRAYERS. 8? 

St. Joseph, nursing father to him by whom all ' 
creatures live, 

St. Joseph, organ of the divine Word reduced 
to silence, 

St. Joseph, saviour of the Saviour of mankind, 
St. Joseph, pattern of silence and resignation, 
St. Joseph, head of the most noble and most 

holy family, 

St. Joseph, honored and served by the king 

and queen of heaven, 

St. Joseph, singularly beloved by Jesus and 

Mary, 

St. Joseph, just and perfect man, 
St. Joseph, accomplished model of an interior 
life, 

St. Joseph, blessed with the happiness of dy- 
ing in the arms of Jesus and Mary, 

St. Joseph, piously believed to have risen with 
Jesus Christ, 

St. Joseph, seated on a throne of glory near 
those of Jesus and Mary, 

St. Joseph, special protector of dying Chris- 
tians, 

Lamb of God, &c, {three times,) 
y. Pray for us, O holy St. Joseph. 
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises 
of Christ. 

Assist us, Lord, we beseech thee, by the merits 
of the Spouse of thy most holy Mother ; that what our 
own power cannot obtain, may be given us by his in- 
tercession : who livest and reignest world without end. 
Amen. 

THE LITANY OF OUR LADY OF LORETTO. 

LORD, have mercy on us. 
Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ, hear us. 



8S 



EVENING PRAYERS. 



Christ, graciously hear us. 
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us. 
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy 
on us. 

God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us. 

Holy Trinity one God, have mercy on us. 

Holy Mary, 

Holy Mother of God, 

Holy Virgin of virgins, 

Mother of Christ, 

Mother of divine grace, 

Mother most pure, 

Mother most chaste, 

Mother undefiled, 

Mother unviolated, 

Mother most amiable, 

Mother most admirable, 

Mother of our Creator, 

Mother of our Redeemer, 

Virgin most prudent, ^ 
Virgin most venerable, g 



Virgin most merciful, 
Virgin most faithful, 
Mirror of justice, 
Seat of wisdom, 
Cause of our joy, 
Spiritual vessel, 
Vessel of honor, 
Vessel of singular devotion, 
Mystical rose, 
Tower of David, 
Tower of ivory, 
House of gold, 
Ark of the Covenant, 
Gate of heaven, 
Morning star, 



Virgin most renowned, 
Virgin most powerful, 




EVENING PRAYERS. 89 



Health of the weak, 

Refuge of sinners, 

Comforter of the afflicted, 

Help of Christians, 

Queen of Angels, 

Queen of patriarchs, 

Queen of prophets, 

Queen of apostles, 

Queen of martyrs, 

Queen of confessors, 

Queen of virgins, 

Queen of all Saints, 

Queen conceived without sin, 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 
world, Spare us, Lord, 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 
world, Graciously hear us, Lord* 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 
world, Have mercy on us. 

Christ, hear us. 

Christ, graciously hear us. 

Lord, have mercy on us. 

Christ, have mercy on us. 

Lord, have mercy on us. 

y . Pray for us, O holy mother of God ! 

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises 
of Christ. 

LET US PRAY. 

POUR forth, we beseech thee, Lord ! thy grace 
into our hearts, that we, to whom the incarna- 
tion of Christ, thy Son, has been made known by the 
message of an angel, may by his passion and death 
be brought to the glory of his resurrection : through 
the same Christ our Lord. Amen. 

DE PROFUNDIS. 

UT of the depths I have cried to thee, Lord : 
Lord, hear my voice. 

8* 



O 



i 



90 



EVENING PRAYERS. 



Let thy ears be attentive to the voice of my sup- 
plication. 

If thou, Lord, wilt mark iniquities, Lord, who 
shall stand it ? 

For with thee there is merciful forgiveness : and by 
reason of thy law, I have waited for thee, Lord. 

My soul hath relied on his word : my soul hath 
hoped in the Lord. 

From the morning watch even until night, let Israel 
hope in the Lord. 

Because with the Lord there is mercy ; and with 
him plentiful redemption. 

And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. 

V. Eternal rest give to them, O Lord. 

R. And let perpetual light shine upon them. 

W. May they rest in peace. 

R. Amen. 

O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faith- 
ful, grant to the souls of thy servants departed, the 
remission of all their sins ; that through pious sup- 

Elicatiohs they may obtain that pardon which they 
ave always desired: who livest and reignest with 
the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, 
world without end. Amen. 

E fly to thy patronage, O holy mother of God, 
despise not our petitions in our necessities, 
but deliver us from all dangers, ever glorious and 
blessed Virgin. 

llf. Vouchsafe that we may praise thee, Blessed 
Virgin ! 

R. Give us strength against thy enemies. 
Blessed is God in his Saints. Amen. 
May the divine assistance, &c. 

From the IQth of December to the 2d of February inclusively, say 
the Litany of the Infant Jesus, instead of the Litany of St. Joseph ; 
then say the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, $c. } as for every night. 




EVENING PRAYERS. 



LITANY OF THE INFANT JESUS. 

LORD, have mercy on us. 
Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. 
God the Father of heaven, 
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, 
God the Holy Ghost, 
Holy Trinity, one God, 
Infant Jesus Christ, 
Infant, true God, 
Infant, Son of the living God, 
Infant, Son of the Virgin Mary, 
Infant, begotten before the day-star, 
Infant, the Word made flesh, 
Infant, the wisdom of thy Father, 
Infant, the integrity of thy Mother, 
Infant, the only begotten of thy Father, 
Infant, the first born of thy Mother, 
Infant, the image of thy Father, 
Infant, the origin of thy Mother, 
Infant, the brightness of thy Father, 
Infant, the honor of thy Mother, 
Infant, equal to thy Father, 
Infant, subject to thy Mother, 
Infant, the delight of thy Father, 
Infant, the riches of thy Mother, 
Infant, the gift of thy Father, 
Infant, the treasure of thy Mother, 
Infant, the Creator of man, 
Infant, the fruit of a Virgin, 
Infant, the virtue of God, 
Infant, the companion of man, 
Infant, our God, 
Infant, our brother, 

Infant, pilgrim on earth, yet in the fruition of 
glory, 



EVENING PRAYERS. 



Infant, possessed of heavenly bliss, yet in the * 
pilgrimage of mortality, 

Infant, a perfect man from thy Mother's womb, 

Infant, endowed with the wisdom of old age 
from thy childhood, 

Infant, the Father of ages, 

Infant, of a few days, 

Infant, life in want of food, 

Infant, the Word reduced to silence, 

Infant, crying in the crib, 

Infant, thundering in heaven, 

Infant, the terror of hell, 

Infant, the joy of paradise, 

Infant, formidable to tyrants, 

Infant, desired by the wise men, 

Infant, exiled from thy people, 

Infant, king in thy exile, 

Infant, the overthrower of idols, 

Infant, zealous for thy Father's glory, 

Infant, strong in thy weakness, 

Infant, powerful in thy littleness, 

Infant, treasure of grace, 

Infant, light of glory, 

Infant, fountain of love, 

Infant, source of sanctity, 

Infant, the restorer of lost heaven, 

Infant, the repairer of the earth, 

Infant, the head of Angels, 

Infant, the root of patriarchs, 

Infant, the word of the prophets, 

Infant, the desire of nations, 

Infant, the joy of the shepherds, 

Infant, the light of the sages, 

Infant, the salvation of the infants, 

Infant, the expectation of the just, 

Infant, the teacher of the wise, 

Infant, the first fruit of all Saints, 

Be merciful ; spare us, Infant Jesus. 



EVENING PRAYERS. 



93 



f 

CO 

8. 

Co 



Be merciful ; hear us, Infant Jesus. 

From the yoke of slavery weighing" on the children 
of Adam, Infant Jesus, deliver us. 

From the captivity of the devil, Infant Jesus, de- 
liver us. 

From the wickedness of the world, 
From the concupiscence of the flesh, 
From the pride of life, 
From inordinate curiosity, 
From blindness of mind, 
From a perverse will, 
From our sins, 

Through thy most pure conception, 
Through thy most humble birth, 
Through thy tears, 

Through thy most painful circumcision, 

Through thy most glorious manifestation, 

Through thy most devout presentation, 

Through thy most innocent conversation, 

Through thy most divine life, * 

Through thy poverty, 

Through thy sufferings, 

Through thy travels and labors, 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 
world, Spare us, O Infant Jesus ! 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 
world, Hear us, O Infant Jesus ! 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 
world, Have mercy on us, O Infant Jesus ! 

Jesus Infant ! hear us. 

Jesus Infant ! graciously hear us. 

LET US PRAY. 

OLORD Jesus ! who hast vouchsafed to debase 
the sublimity of thy incarnate divinity and of 
thy most divine humanity to the humble state of birth 
and infancy; mercifully grant, that acknowledging 
thy divine wisdom in thy infancy, thy power in thy 



94 



EVENING PRAYERS. 



weakness, thy majesty in thy littleness, we may adore 
thee little and debased on earth, and behold thee great 
and exalted in heaven: who li vest and reignest world 
without end. Amen, 

May the Infant Jesus Christ hear us, now, and for 
ever. Amen, 

THE SOLEMN ANTHEMS, O. 

These Anthems, which express and represent the ardent desires and 
wishes of the holy prophets for the coming of Christ., and which ought 
to express the desire we have that Christ may be born in us by his 
grace, are commenced on the 17th of December ; and may be said im- 
mediately before the Litany of the Infant Jesus. 

On the llth of December. 

WISDOM, who didst proceed out of the mouth 
of the Most High, reaching- from end to end, 
with might and with sweetness disposing all things : 
come and teach us the way of prudence. 

On the \Sth. 

OADONNAI, and leader of the house of Israel, 
who didst appear to Moses in the fire of the 
flaming bush, and didst give him the law on Sinai : 
come and save us with a stretched-forth arm. 

On the 19th. 

OROOT of Jesse, who art a signal to the people, 
in whose presence kings shall be silent, and to 
whom the Gentiles shall pray: come and deliver us 
now, and delay not. 

On the 20th. 

OKEY of David, and sceptre of the house of 
Israel, who openest and no man shutteth; who 
shuttest and no man openeth : come and take out of 
prison him that is in fetters, and who sitteth in dark- 
ness and in the shadow of death. 



DEVOTIONS AFTER EVENING PRAYERS. 95 
On the 21st. 

ORIENT brightness of eternal light, and sun 
of righteousness : come and enlighten those 
that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. 

On the 22d. 

OKING of the Gentiles, and their desired one, 
the corner-stone that joinest the two walls : 
come and save man, whom thou formedst out of slime. 

On the 23d. 

EMMANUEL, our King and Lawgiver; the 
expectation of the Gentiles, and their Saviour: 
come and save us, O Lord, our God. 

— ♦ — 

DEVOTIONS AFTER EVENING PRAYERS. 

Although each one may indulge, at this time, in her own parti- 
cular devotion, the following may assist beginners : 

WHILST UNDRESSING. 

DIVEST my soul, my Jesus ! of all sin and of 
all affection to sin ; of all pride and vanity ; of 
all self-will and self-love ; of whatever is in the least 
displeasing to thy Divine Majesty. 

KNEELING BY THE BED-SIDE. 

I OFFER thee, my God ! the repose I am going 
to take, to refresh and invigorate my wearied 
body, that 1 may serve thee better. My Jesus ! I unite 
this repose to that which thou didst take, during thy 
mortal life. 

It is so sweet to think that thou, my Jesus ! art so 
near in thy blessed sacrament — that I am always, even 
during the hours of repose, under the very shadow of 
thy sanctuary. Oh ! that each respiration might be an 
act of love to thee, in thy tabernacle of love ! Oh ! 



96 DEVOTIONS AFTER EVENING PRAYERS. 



that I could say : " I shall sleep, but my heart shall 
be watching in thee, my God." ■ 

O my blessed Virgin Mother, my good Angel, my 
holy patrons and patronesses, and all ye holy Angels 
and Saints, love, praise and adore my Jesus for me, 
this night. 

OMOST bountiful Lord ! pour down thy bless- 
ings on thy holy Church, on my parents, supe- 
riors, on each one of my dear Sisters, on my relations, 
on all under our care, on all religious Communities. 
Succor the poor, prisoners, travellers, navigators, the 
sick and agonizing. Convert all heretics, and en- 
lighten all infidels, for the sake of thy own infinite 
mercies. God of goodness ! have mercy on the 
dear suffering souls in purgatory, especially on those 
for whom I ought to pray, and for whom thou desirest 
I should pray. 

DURING THE NIGHT. 

Immediately on awaking, at any time during the hours of repose, 
make the sign of the cross, and say : 

GREAT God ! Father, Son and Holy Ghost! I 
adore thee truly present here by thy immensity, 
which fills all space ; and I rejoice with adoring love 
and gratitude, that in thee we live, move and have 
our being. Then, in spirit before the tabernacle, say : 
My Divine Jesus ! lover of mankind ; I thank thee 
for thy tender and loving condescension, in remaining 
with us day and night ! O ! Angels of our sanctuary ! 
love, praise, and adore my Jesus for me. 

One or more of the follow big aspirations might be made at this time, 
— and the indulgence, applicable to the suffering souls in purgatory, 
offered for their relief Eternal praise, &c. May the most just, &c. 3 
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, &c. See Indulgences. 

O Jesus ! have mercy on the poor, the sick and the 
dying. 

Comfort all who are in affliction. 



PRAYERS FOR THE CHURCH. 



97 



holy Mary ! refuge of sinners, pray for all in the 
. amentable state of mortal sin. 

O Mother of God ! most powerful advocate of sin- 
ners, I invoke thee especially on behalf of the most 
obdurate. 

— ♦ — 

PRAYERS FOR THE CHURCH, 

FOR THE RULING POWERS, ETC. 

WE pray thee, Almighty and Eternal God ! 
who through Jesus Christ, has revealed thy 
glory to all nations, to preserve the works of thy 
mercy, that thy Church, being spread through the 
whole world, may continue, with unchanging faith, in 
the confession of thy name. 

WE pray thee, who alone art good and holy, to 
endow with heavenly knowledge, sincere 
zeal, and sanctity of life, our chief bishop N. N., the 
vicar of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the government of 
his Church ; our own bishop, N. N. (or, if he is not 
consecrated, our bishop elect ;) all other bishops, pre- 
lates and pastors of the Church ; and especially those 
who are appointed to exercise amongst us the func- 
tions of the holy ministry, and conduct thy people into 
the ways of salvation. 

E pray thee, God of might, wisdom and jus- 
tice ! through whom authority is rightly ad- 
ministered, laws are enacted, and judgment decreed, 
assist, with thy holy spirit of counsel and fortitude, 
the President of these United States; that his admi- 
nistration may be conducted in righteousness, and be 
eminently useful to thy people, over whom he pre- 
sides ; by encouraging due respect for virtue and reli- 
gion; by a faithful execution of the laws in justice 
and mercy ; and by restraining vice and immorality. 
Let the light of thy divine wisdom direct the delibe- 




98 



PRAYERS FOR THE CHURCH. 



rations of Congress, and shine forth in all the pro- 
ceeding's and laws, framed for our rule and govern- 
ment; so that they may tend to the preservation of 
peace, the promotion of national happiness, the in- 
crease of industry, sobriety, and useful knowledge ; 
and may perpetuate to us the blessings of equal 
liberty. 

"XX7"E pray for his excellency, the governor of this 
T T State, for the members of assembly, for all 
judges, magistrates, and other officers who are ap- 
pointed to guard our political welfare ; that they may 
be enabled, by thy powerful protection, to discharge 
the duties of their respective stations with honesty 
and ability. 

~Y¥7"E recommend likewise, to thy unbounded 
t 7 mercy, all our brethren and fellow-citizens, 
throughout the United States, that they may be bless- 
ed in the knowledge, and sanctified in the observance 
of thy most holy law ; that they may be preserved in 
union, and in that peace which the world cannot 
give; and, after enjoying the blessings of this life, 
be admitted to those which are eternal. 

1 FINALLY, we pray thee, Lord of mercy, to 
Jj remember the souls of thy servants departed, 
who are gone before us, with the sign of faith, and 
repose in the sleep of peace ; the souls of our pa- 
rents, relations, and friends ; of those, who, when 
living, were members of this congregation ; and par- 
ticularly of such as are lately deceased ; of all bene- 
factors, who by their donations or legacies to this 
church, witnessed their zeal for the decency of divine 
worship, and proved their claim to our grateful and 
charitable remembrance. To these, Lord, and to 
all that rest in Christ, grant, we beseech thee, a place 
of refreshment, light, and everlasting peace, through 
the same Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Amen, 



INSTRUCTIONS. ON THE MASS. 



SECTION I. 
What the Mass is, and for what ends it is to be offered. 

FROM the beginning of the world, the servants of God 
were always accustomed to offer sacrifice to him, by 
way of acknowledging his sovereignty and paying him 
their homage : and in all ancient religions, true or false, 
this worship of sacrifice was always looked upon as a 
solemn act of religion, due to the deity which they wor 
shipped. 

2. In the law of nature and in the law of Moses, there 
was a great variety of sacrifices ; some bloody, in which 
the victim was slain, others unbloody : some were called 
holocausts, or whole burnt-offerings, in which the whole 
host or victim was consumed in fire upon God's altar, for 
his honor and glory : others were called sin-offerings, 
which were offered for sins : others were offerings of 
thanksgiving : others, in fine, were pacific or peace-offer- 
ings ; which were offered for obtaining favors from God ; 
the word peace, in the Scripture style signifying all man- 
ner of good and prosperity. 

3. All these sacrifices of the law of nature and the law 
of Moses, were of themselves but weak and feeble ele- 
ments, and only figures of a sacrifice to come, viz., that of 
Jesus Christ ; in consideration of which sacrifice only, 
and the faith of the offerers by which they believed in this 
Redeemer to come, those ancient sacrifices were then ac- 
cepted by the Divine Majesty, when they were accom- 
panied with the inward sacrifice of the heart ; but not for 
any intrinsic worth or dignity of the things offered ; for 
no other blood but the blood of Christ could wash away 
our sins. Hence, in the 39th Psalm, spoken in the person 
of Christ to his Father, we read : Sacrifice and oblation 
thou didst not desire ; but a body thou hast fitted to me. 
(So St. Paul reads it ; Heb. x 5.) Burnt- offering and sin- 
oifering thou didst not require ; then said 1, behold I come. 
To give us to understand, that by reason of the insuffi- 
ciency of the sacrifices of the old law, Christ himself 
would come to be our sacrifice, and would offer up his own 
body and blood for us. 

4. Accordingly, our Saviour Jesus Christ, at the time 

99 



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100 



INSTRUCTIONS ON THE MASS. 



appointed by his Father, having taken flesh for us, was 
pleased to offer himself a sacrifice for us all ; dying upon 
the cross for the sins of the whole world. By this one 
offering, we were completely redeemed, in as much as our 
ransom was paid, and all mercy, grace and salvation were 
purchased for us. Neither can there now be any need of 
his dying again, to purchase other graces for us, than 
those for which he has already paid the price of his blood. 

5. Nevertheless, for the daily application of this one 
eternal redemption to our souls, and that the mercy, grace 
and salvation, which he has purchased, may be actually 
communicated to us, he not only appears continually in 
our behalf in the sanctuary of heaven, there representing 
and offering to his Father his death and passion for us ; 
but he has also instituted the blessed eucharist, in which 
he has bequeathed to us his body and blood, under the 
sacramental veils ; not only to be received as a sacrament, 
for the food and nourishment of our souls ; but also, mys- 
tically broken and shed, to be offered and presented by 
his ministers to his Father, as a sacrifice ; not by way of 
a new death ; but as a standing memorial of his death ; a 
daily offering of this death to God, and applying to our 
souls the fruits thereof, 

6. The eucharistic sacrifice of the body and blood of 
Christ, daily offered under the forms of bread and wine, 
in remembrance of his passion, is what we call the Mass. 
This is the solemn liturgy of the Catholic Church. That 
pure offering, made in every place among the Gentiles, 
according to the prophecy : From the rising of the sun even 
to the going down, my name is great among the Gentiles : 
and in every place there is sacrifice, and there is offered to 
my name a clean oblation : for my name is great among the 
Gentiles, saith the Lord of hosts. — Malach. ill. By this, 
Christ is a priest for ever, according to the order of Mel- 
chisedech, (Ps. cix,) whose sacrifice was bread and wine, 
(Gen. xv.) 

7. This sacrifice of the Mass is the same in substance 
with that which Jesus Christ offered for us upon the cross ; 
because both the victim offered, and the Priest or principal 
offerer, is the same Jesus Christ. The difference is only 
in the manner of the offering ; because upon the cross our 
Saviour offered himself in such a manner as really to shed 
his blood and die for us ; whereas, now, he does not really 
shed his blood nor die any more. Therefore, this is called 



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INSTRUCTIONS ON THE MASS. 



101 



an unhloody sacrifice ; that, on the cross, a bloody sacri- 
fice. 

8. By reason of this essential connection, which the 
sacrifice of the Mass has with that of the Cross, it com- 
pletely answers all the different ends of sacrifice, and that 
in a manner infinitely more perfect than any of the ancient 
sacrifices. Christ is here both priest and victim, repre- 
senting in person and offering up his death and passion to 
his Father, first for the adoration, praise, honor and glory 
of the Divine Majesty ; secondly, in thanksgiving for all 
his benefits ; thirdly, for obtaining pardon for our sins ; 
fourthly, for the obtaining of grace and salvation for us, 
by the merits of that same death and passion. Conse- 
quently, this sacrifice, in order to obtain all these ends, 
must be infinitely beyond all the holocausts, thank-offer- 
ings, sin-offerings and peace-offerings of the ancient law. 

9. This sacrifice of the Mass is then offered up to God 
in the Catholic Church, 1st, as a daily remembrance of the 
passion of Christ : Do this for a commemoration of me. — St. 
Luke xxii ; 2dly, as a most solemn worship of the Divine 
Majesty ; 3dly, as a most acceptable thanksgiving to God, 
whence it has the name of eucharist ; 4thly, as a most 
powerful means to move God to show mercy to us in the 
forgiveness of our sins, for which reason, we call it a pro- 
pitiation ; and, lastly, as a most effectual way to obtain of 
God all that we want, coming to him (as we here do) with 
Christ, and through Christ. 

10. For these ends, both priest and people ought to offer 
up the sacrifice of the Mass : the priest, as Christ's min- 
ister, and in his person ; the people by the hands of the 
priest : and both the one and the other, by the hands of 
the great High Priest, Jesus Christ. With this offering 
of Christ, both priest and people ought to make a total 
offering of themselves, by his hands, and in union with 
him. 

SECTION II. 
Dispositions with which a Christian should assist at Mass. 

THESE dispositions regard the interior sentiments and 
external deportment. We should always assist at 
Mass with lively faith, contrition and confidence in the 
mercy of God. These virtues are the most proper dispo- 
sitions for hearing Mass, as well as the natural fruits of 



102 INSTRUCTIONS ON THE MASS. 



that great sacrifice. Faith is necessary, because without 
it we should be unable to penetrate the wonders that are 
passing before us on the altar. Contrition for sin is par- 
ticularly called for, because we are present at a sacrifice 
which is nothing less than a renewal of the sacrifice of 
Calvary, which was offered for its expiation. Confidence 
in God is a disposition at all times calculated to obtain 
great favors from the divine goodness, but it is particularly 
so at Mass. Had we been at the foot of the cross when 
Jesus Christ immolated himself for our redemption, would 
we have hesitated to ask any favor ? Would we have 
considered any grace too much to hope for, when a God- 
man was expiring for our sake ? But, in the Mass, we 
have the same grounds of confidence. It is the same God 
who offers himself for us, and it is the same boundless 
love that causes him to do so. It is true, this sacrifice 
does not immediately procure the remission of sin, as is 
the case with the sacraments which were instituted for 
this special purpose ; but, it obtains for sinners the most 
ample graces by which their conversion is rendered easy 
of accomplishment, if they sincerely desire to affect it. 
By this sacrifice, also, venial faults are effaced, and the 
temporal punishment due to sin is remitted, both for the 
living and the dead. When we assist at Mass, then, we 
may ask for any thing and every thing, convinced that, in 
presenting Jesus Christ to his eternal Father, we give 
more than we receive. It will greatly help our devotion 
to offer the Mass for some particular end, as to acquire 
some virtue, to obtain the conversion of some sinner, &c. 

As to the profound respect, recollection and silence 
which should mark our exterior deportment in assisting 
at Mass, our faith alone should suffice to make us observ- 
ant of them. " When you behold," says St. Chrysostom, 
" the Lord himself lying a victim on the altar, and the 
priest attending and praying over the sacrifice, purpled 
with his precious blood; when you consider that what is 
then done, is far more awful, more astonishing, more ex- 
traordinary, than when fire falling from heaven consumed 
the sacrifice of Elias, you cannot, without inexcusable 
presumption and impiety, be guilty of exterior disrespect 
at Mass." Yet how often is this impiety committed! 
How common is it for Christians to talk, laugh, gaze about 
and salute each other in the church and during the tre- 
mendous sacrifice ! Far be from us practices so much at 



INSTRUCTIONS ON THE MASS. 



103 



variance with the respect we owe to these sublime and 
holy mysteries. 

SECTION HI. 
Explanation of the Vestments and Ceremonies. 

ALTHOUGH the homage, which man owes to his 
Creator, so essentially consists in the interior dispo- 
sitions of the soul, that without these all outward worship 
is unprofitable and vain, yet the constitution of our nature 
is such as to require external signs and ceremonies, which 
may operate through the medium of the bodily senses 
upon our souls, and elevate them to God. To this end, 
then, are directed all the ceremonies of the Church, and it 
is the Christian's duty to learn to use them accordingly. 

As the Mass represents the passion of Christ, and the 
priest there officiates in his person, so the vestments in 
which he officiates, represent those with which Christ was 
krnominiously clothed at the time of his passion. Thus 
the Amice represents the cloth with which the Jews 
blindfolded our Saviour, when they bid him prophesy who 
it was that struck him. — (St. Luke xxii 64.) The Alb 
represents the white garment put on him by Herod. The 
Girdle, Maniple and Stole, represent the cords and bands 
with which he was bound, in the different stages of his 
passion. The Chasuble, or outward vestment, represents 
the purple garment with which he was clothed as a mock 
king : upon the back of this, there is a cross to represent 
that which Christ bore on his sacred shoulders ; lastly, 
the priest's Tonsure or crown, is to represent the crown 
of thorns which our Saviour wore. 

Moreover, as in the old law the priests that were to 
officiate in the sacred functions, had, by the appointment 
of God, vestments assigned for that purpose, as well for 
the greater decency and solemnity of the divine worship, 
as to signify and represent the virtues which God required 
of his ministers ; so it was proper, that in the Church of 
the New Testament, Christ's ministers should, in their 
sacred functions, be distinguished in like manner from the 
laity, by their vestments, which might also represent the 
virtues that God requires in them. Thus the Amice, 
which is first put upon the head, represents divine hope, 
which the Apostle calls the helmet of salvation; the Alb, 
innocence of life ; the Girdle, continence and chastity ; the 



104 



INSTRUCTIONS ON THE MASS. 



Maniple, which is put on the left arm, patient suffering of 
the labor of this mortal life ; the Stole, the sweet yoke of 
Jesus Christ, to be borne in this life, that we may gain a 
happy immortality ; and the Chasuble, which is upper- 
most, and covers all the rest, represents the virtue of 
charity. 

In the vestments, the Church makes use of five colors, 
viz., white, on the feasts of our Lord, of the Blessed Vir- 
gin, of the Angels, of St. John the Evangelist and of the 
Saints that were not martyrs ; red, on the feasts of Pen- 
tecost, of the finding and exaltation of the Cross and of 
the apostles and martyrs ; violet, which is the penitential 
color, in the penitential times of Advent and Lent, and 
upon vigils and ember-days ; green, on most of the other 
Sundays and ferias throughout the year, and black, on 
Good Friday and in Masses for the dead. 

We make a reverence to the altar at which Mass is said, 
because it is the seat of these divine mysteries, and a figure 
of Christ, who is not only Priest and Sacrifice, but our 
Altar too, in as much as we offer our prayers and sacri- 
fices through him. The Corporal and linen cloths that 
cover the altar, represent the linen cloth that wrapped the 
sacred body of Christ, when he was laid in the sepulchre. 
The Chalice represents the holy sepulchre of our Lord ; 
and the Paten, the great stone that was rolled against the 
door of it. We always have a Crucifix on the altar, that, 
as the Mass is said in remembrance of Christ's passion 
and death, both priest and people may have before their 
eyes, during this sacrifice, the image that puts them in 
mind of both. There are always lighted candles upon the 
altar during Mass ; as well to honor the victory and tri- 
umphs of our great King (therein celebrated) by these 
lights, which are tokens of our joy and of his glory, as to 
denote the light of faith with which we are to approach him. 

The custom of placing a vessel containing blessed or holy 
water at the entrance of the Church has been handed 
down to us from the apostolic age. Into this the faithful 
dip the fingers of the right hand, and form upon themselves 
the sign of the cross, repeating at the same time the invo- 
cation of the ever-blessed Trinity. As water denotes 
purity and innocence, by using it on entering the place of 
worship, we are admonished with what cleanliness of 
heart and hand we should appear in the presence of our 
Maker. 



INSTRUCTIONS ON THE MASS. 



105 



The sig-n of the cross, which we make upon ourselves 
in using holy water, as well as on many other occasions, is 
a sign or ceremony in which, with St. Paul, {Gal. vi 14,) 
we should place our greatest happiness and glory, as being 
a striking memorial of the sufferings and death of our Re- 
deemer, that mystery whence are derived all our hopes 
for mercy, grace and salvation. By the words that accom- 
pany this ceremony we are no less forcibly reminded that 
the God whom we serve, although one in nature, exists in 
three persons really distinct from each other. 

A small bell is rung occasionally during mass. This 
serves to give notice to such as cannot see the altar, of cer- 
tain more solemn parts of the sacrifice, to recall the wan- 
dering mind from distraction, and to excite all to greater 
fervor of devotion. 

Incense, which is used in solemn or high masses, is sym- 
bolical of prayer, according to that of holy David ; Let my 
prayer, Lord, be directed as incense in thy sight. 

The bread used in this sacrifice is not common and 
leavened, but unleavened bread, such as our Saviour must 
have used at his last supper. For it was death, by the law 
of Moses, for any one to eat, or even to keep in his house 
leavened bread at the paschal time. Of such a breach of 
the Mosaic law our Lord was never once accused by his 
enemies, who sought every opportunity of bringing him in 
guilty of some capital crime. 

The shape itself of this bread is determined, and the 
form is not undesignedly given it. For the circle was con- 
sidered by most nations as the emblem of perfection and 
perpetuity, the most peculiar attributes of the Deity. 

This bread is also considered as an emblem of the mys- 
tical body of Christ, the Church. (1 Cor. v.) For, as the 
bread is one whole, composed of many particles cohering 
together, and amalgamated by means of water, and made 
firm by fire, so the Church is but one whole, composed 
of many members adhering together, and united with their 
supreme head Jesus Christ, by means of the water of bap- 
tism and the fire of charity, as* also by their participation in 
his other sacraments, but above all in this sacrament of the 
altar, which unites us so closely to our Lord, that, as he 
himself expresses it, we may be in him, and he in us: 
John xiv 20. 



DEVOTIONS FOR MASS. 



THE ASPERGES. 

Wtiile the priest sprinkles holy water before solemn Mass on Sundays, 
the following Anthem is swig. 



Ant. 

ASPERGES me, Do- 
mine, hyssopo, et 
mundabor: lavabis me, et 
super nivem dealbabor. 



Ps. Miserere mei, Deus, 
secundum magnam mise- 
ricord i am tuam. 

"V*. Gloria patri, &c. 

Ant. Asperges me, &c. 



Anth. 

THOU sbalt sprinkle 
me with hyssop, O 
Lord ! and I shall be 
cleansed : thou shalt wash 
me, and I shall be made 
whiter than snow. 

Ps. Have mercy on me, 
God ! according to thy 
great mercy. 

}f. Glory be to the Fa- 
ther, &c. 

Anth. Thou shalt sprin- 
kle me, &c. 



The priest having returned to the foot of the altar, says : 



V. Ostende nobis, Do- 
mine, misericordiam tuam. 

R. Et salutare tuum da 
nobis. 

y. Domine exaudi ora- 
tionem meam. 

R. Et clamor meus ad 
te veniat. 

y. Dominus vobiscum. 

R. Et cum spiritu tuo. 



if. Show us, Lord, 
thy mercy. 

R. And grant us thy 
salvation. 

}f. O Lord, hear my 
prayer. 

R. And let my cry 
conie unto thee. 

if. May the Lord be 
with you. 

R. And with thy spirit. 



THE PRAYER, EXAUDI. 

HEAR us, O holy Lord, Almighty Father, eter- 
nal God ! and vouchsafe to send thy holy Angel 
from heaven, to guard, cherish, protect, visit and de- 

106 



DEVOTIONS FOR MASS. 



107 



fend all that are assembled, in this place: through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

From Easter to Whit-Sunday inclusively, instead of the foregoing 
Ant. Asperges, &c, the following is sung,'and Alleluia is added to 
the V. Ostende nobis, and its R. Et salutare. 

ANTHEM. 

VIDI aquam egredi- ~T" SAW water flowing 

entem de templo a JL from the right side of 

latere dextro, Alleluia : et the temple, Alleluia : and 

omnes, ad quos pervenit all to whom that water 

aqua ista, salvi facti sunt came, were saved, and 

et dicent : Alleluia, Alle- they shall say Alleluia, 

luia. Alleluia. 

Ps. Confitemini Domi- Ps. Praise the Lord, 
no, quoniam bonus : quo- because he is good : be- 
ldam in saeculum miseri- cause his mercy endureth 
cordia ejus. Gloria, &c. for ever. Glory, &c. 

The prayer, Exaudi, as above. 

A PRAYER BEFORE MASS. 

I OFFER thee, O my God ! the Mass which 
I am about to hear, to render thee the 
honor and glory which are due to thy infinite 
Majesty; to thank thee for thy innumerable 
benefits, for all the graces thou hast bestowed 
on all mankind, particularly for those thou 
hast conferred on thy Blessed Mother, my good 
Angel, holy patrons and patronesses, and on 
all the Angels and Saints ; to satisfy thy jus- 
tice for my sins, and for the sins of the whole 
world, and to obtain from thy infinite mercy, 
all the graces which are necessary for myself 
and all mankind. 

I offer it for the propagation of our holy 



108 



DEVOTIONS FOR MASS. 



Faith ; for our most holy father, the Pope ; 
for our archbishop, (or bishop ;) for all the 
pastors and clergy of thy holy Church ; for 
our superiors ; for the spiritual and temporal 
prosperity of all ecclesiastical seminaries ; for 
all religious orders, and for our own beloved 
Community. Grant that we may all be faith- 
ful to our holy rules and vow t s, and persevere 
in this fidelity until death. I entreat thee also 
in behalf of the President, and all that are in 
high station, that all may lead quiet and holy 
lives — for peace and good will among all the 
States and people. I also supplicate thee in 
behalf of infidels, heretics, schismatics, and 
of all those who are in the unhappy state of 
mortal sin, begging thee to grant them a 
speedy conversion. 

I likewise offer this sacrifice for our dear 
parents, relations, friends, benefactors and ene- 
mies ; for the perseverance of the just, the 
comfort of the afflicted, and the deliverance 
of the suffering souls in purgatory, especially 
of those for whom I am bound to pray. I 
unite with the priest in offering it in memory 
of the passion and death of my Divine Re- 
deemer ; to enter into his views and designs ; 
to accomplish his most holy will ; to love him 
wdth more ardor and perfection ; to participate 
in the merits of his labors and sufferings ; to 
acquire his spirit ; to imitate his virtues ; to 
model my life on his ; and to make a public 



DEVOTIONS FOR MASS. 



109 



reparation to his adorable mercy, for all the sac- 
rilegious communions, irreverences, and pro- 
fanations, which may have been committed 
against him in this august sacrament of his love. 

ANOTHER PRAYER BEFORE MASS. 

FATHER of mercies and God of all con- 
solation ! who, not content, that thy only 
begotten Son should have once been offered a 
bleeding victim upon the cross for our salva- 
tion, wouldst have the same most acceptable 
oblation daily repeated in an unbloody man- 
ner, to renew in our souls the fruit thereof : 
grant, we beseech thee, that we may assist at 
this adorable mystery of thy power, wisdom, 
and goodness, with such reverence, attention, 
and love, that we may plentifully partake of the 
fruits it is intended to produce in us, through 
the same Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. 

AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF MASS. 

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy- 
Ghost. Amen. 

IT is in thy name, O adorable Trinity ! it is 
to honor thee, and to do thee homage, 
that I presume to assist at this most holy and 
august sacrifice. Permit me then, Lord ! to 
unite my intention with that of thy minister, in 
offering up this precious victim ; and give me 
now the sentiments with which I should have 
been filled on Mount Calvary, had I been wit- 
ness to the bloody sacrifice offered thereon. 

10 



110 



DEVOTIONS FOR MASS. 



CONFITEOR. 

Think now, in the bitterness of your heart, on all your 
past sins, and recall to your mind, in a general manner, 
such of them as are most humbling to you. Lay your 
weaknesses before God. Beg of him to pardon you, and to 
assist you in all your necessities, through the infinite merits 
of this great sacrifice. 

I CONFESS, my God ! not only in thy 
presence, who seest the secrets of hearts, 
but in the presence of all the blessed in hea- 
ven, and of all the faithful on earth, that I have 
often and grievously offended thee by my 
thoughts, words, actions, and omissions. Yes, 
I have sinned, my God ! I have sinned ; I 
acknowledge it to my shame, and with the 
most bitter regret. I have abused all thy gifts. 
I am unworthy to appear before thee. But 
thy mercies, my God ! are above all thy 
works ; thou wilt not despise a contrite and 
humble heart. 

most holy Virgin ! and ye Angels and 
Saints of heaven ! I humbly beseech you to 
intercede for me. Vouchsafe, Lord ! to 
listen to their prayers. Grant to the ardor of 
their supplications, what thou mayest justly 
refuse to the coldness of mine, and to their 
services so pleasing in thy sight, that pardon 
to w r hich my offences can have no claim. 



DEVOTIONS FOR MASS. 



Ill 



KYRIE ELEISON. 

Beg of the Lord to show you mercy, and rely with confi- 
dence on his infinite goodness. By granting you so power- 
ful a means of reconciliation as this is, he gives you a sure 
pledge that you will obtain it. 

THOUGH I were at every instant of my life 
to cry out, Lord, have mercy on me! 
this would still be unequal to the number and 
quality of my offences. But though, after long 
repeating this prayer, thou shouldst appear to 
disregard me, I would still redouble my im- 
portunity, and cry out, with a louder and more 
animated voice, as the woman of Canaan, and 
the blind man of Jericho did: " Jesus, son of 
David! have mercy on me!" Be not then 
tired, Lord ! of my supplications. I know 
that thou lovest to be importuned. If, as yet, 
thy goodness hath not granted my pardon, my 
perseverance shall at length engage thee to 
grant it. Have pity, bountiful Creator, on the 
work of thy hands. Father of mercies! 
grant pardon to thy children. 

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS. 

Conceive a great desire of promoting God's glory, and 
your neighbor's good. Rejoice with the Angels at the 
share you have in the holy mysteries, and form to yourself 
the highest idea of the majesty of God, and of Jesus Christ 
his Son. 

GLORIA in excel- f^i LORY be to God 
sis Deo. Et in vJT on high, and 
terra pax hominibus peace on earth to men 
bonse voluntatis. Lau- of good will. We 



112 



DEVOTIONS FOR MASS. 



damus te. Benedici- 
mus te. Adoramus te. 
Glorificanius te. Gra- 
tias agimus tibi propter 
macmam gloriamtuam. 
Domine Deus, Rex 
coelestis! Deus Pater 
omnipotens ! Domine, 
Fili unigenite, Jesu 
Christe ! Domine De- 
us ! Agnus Dei! Fili- 
us Patris ! Qui tollis 
peccata mundi ! mise- 
rere nobis. Qui tollis 
peccata mundi ! sus- 
cipe deprecationem 
nostram. Qui sedes 
ad dexteram Patris ! 
miserere nobis. Quo- 
niam tu solus sanctus. 
Tu solus Dominus. 
Tu solus altissimus,* 
Jesu Christe ! Cum 
Sancto Spiritu in glo- 
ria Dei Patris. Amen, 



praise thee. We bless 
thee. We adore thee. 
We glorify thee. We 
give thee thanks for 
thy great glory. 
Lord God! hea- 
venly King ! God, 
the Father Almighty! 
Lord Jesus Christ, 
the only begotten Son ! 
Lord God ! Lamb 
of God ! Son of the 
Father ! thou, who 
takest away the sins 
of the world ! have 
mercy on us. thou, 
who takest away the 
sins of the world ! re- 
ceive our prayer. 
thou, who sittest at the 
right hand of the Fa- 
ther! have mercy on us. 
For thou alone art holy. 
Thou alone art Lord. 
Thou alone art most 
high, Jesus Christ ! 
together w 7 ith the Holy 
Ghost, in the glory of 
God the Father. Amen 



DEVOTIONS FOR MASS. 



113 



THE COLLECT. 

This prayer is so called, because, in it, the priest lays 
before God the necessities of his people, their vows, and 
their desires, collected, in a manner, together. Whence, 
turning to the congregation, he says, Or emus, Let us pray, 
inviting them to unite with him in the petition he is about 
to make. 

ALMIGHTY and eternal God, we humbly 
beseech thee to look down upon this 
congregation from thy heavenly sanctuary, and 
graciously hear those prayers of thy Church, 
addressed to thee for us all, by the ministry of 
this priest. 

Grant us, in thy infinite mercy, pardon for 
our sins, health of mind and body, peace in 
our days, unity and increase of Catholic Faith, 
fervor of charity, sincere devotion, patience in 
suffering, and every thing conducive to thy 
glory, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. 

THE EPISTLE. 

Return God thanks for having called you to the know- 
ledge of his law. Submit to it with perfect docility, and 
beg of him to extend our holy religion over the whole 
world. 

ETERNAL God ! who never ceasest to 
excite us to the worship and love of thy 
holy name, and to arm us against all the at- 
tacks of the world, the flesh and the devil, by 
the public ministry of thy Church, by the doc- 
trine of thy prophets and apostles, and by many 
other holy admonitions ; grant, we may faith- 
fully attend to these lessons of salvation, that 

10* 



114 



DEVOTIONS FOR MASS. 



thus our knowledge of thy law may never rise 
in judgment against us, but guide us securely 
to thee, through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

THE GOSPEL. 

Look on the Gospel, which you are now going to hear, 
as the rule of your faith and morals ; a rule which Christ 
himself has drawn up, which, at your baptism, you so- 
lemnly promised to follow, and by which you shall most 
certainly be judged. 

IT is not thy interpreters, God ! who are 
now to instruct me ; it is thy only Son ; 
it is his word I am going to hear. I most grate- 
fully embrace this heavenly doctrine. I rise 
up and declare, in the face of heaven and earth, 
that I will walk faithfully in that way which he 
hath marked out for me. He tells me here, 
That it will avail a man nothing to gain the 
whole world, if he lose his own soul ; that the 
sensual, the covetous, the worldling, the liber- 
tine, the detractor, and such as are insensible 
to the miseries of the poor, shall have no share 
in his heavenly kingdom ; and that, in order 
to become his disciple, I must take up my cross, 
and follow him. I receive, w T ith all my heart, 
these sacred maxims : grant me the grace to 
put them in practice. For to what purpose, 
my Jesus! should I declare myself thy dis- 
ciple, if I were not to live according to thy 
Gospel ? 



DEVOTIONS FOR MASS. 



115 



THE CREED. 

Renew here your faith. All these things, which the 
Church proposes to your belief, are founded on God's own 
word, revealed in the Scriptures, announced by the pro- 
phets and the apostles, supported by miracles, con- 
firmed by the martyrs, verified by the establishment of 
our faith, and obvious by the sanctity of our religion. 



CREDO in unum 
Deum, Patrem 
omnipotentem, facto- 
rem coeli et terrse, visi- 
bilium omnium, et 
invisibilium. Et in 
unum Dominu m Jesum 
Christum, Filium Dei 
unigenitum. Et ex 
Patrenatumante omnia 
saecula. Deum de Deo, 
Lumen de Lumine, 
Deum verum de Deo 
vero. Genitum non 
factum, consubstanti- 
alem Patri, per quem 
omnia facta sunt. Qui 
propter nos homines, et 
propter nostram salu- 
tem, descendit de 
coelis. Et incarnatus 
est de Spiritu sancto 
ex Maria Virgine, 
ET HOMO FACTUS 
EST. Crucifixus etiam 



I BELIEVE in one 
God, the Father 
Almighty, maker of 
heaven and earth, of 
all things visible and 
invisible. And in one 
Lord Jesus Christ, the 
only begotten Son of 
God ; and born of the 
Father before all ages. 
God of God ; Light of 
Light ; true God of 
true God ; begotten 
not made; consubstan- 
tial to the Father, by 
whom all things were 
made. Who for us 
men, and for our sal- 
vation, came down 
from heaven, and be- 
came incarnate by the 
Holy Ghost of the Vir- 
gin Mary, AND WAS 
MADE MAN. He was 
crucified also for us, 



♦ 



116 



DEVOTIONS FOR MASS. 



pro nobis : sub Pontio 
Pilato passus, et sep- 
ultus est. Et resur- 
rexit tertia die, secun- 
dum Scripturas. Et 
ascendit in coelum, 
sedet ad dexteram 
Patris. Et iterum ven- 
turus est cum gloria 
judicare vivos et mor- 
tuos: cujus regni non 
erit finis. Et in Spi- 
ritum sanctum, Domi- 
num et vivificantem: 
qui ex Patre Filioque 
procedit. Qui cum 
Patre et Filio simul 
adoratur, et conglorifi- 
catur: qui locutus est 
per prophetas. Et 
imam, sanctam, Catho- 
licam et Apostolicam 
Ecclesiam. Confiteor 
unum Baptisma in 
remissionem peccato- 
rum. Et expecto re- 
surrectionem mortuo- 
rum. Et vitam venturi 
sseculi. Amen. 



suffered under Pontius 
Pilate, and was buried. 
And the third day he 
rose again, according 
to the Scriptures. And 
ascended into heaven, 
sitteth at the right hand 
of the Father. And he 
is to come again with 
glory to judge both the 
living and the dead ; 
of whose kingdom 
there shall be no end. 
And in the Holy Ghost, 
the Lord and Giver of 
life, who proceedeth 
from the Father and 
the Son : who, together 
with the Father and 
the Son, is adored and 
glorified : who spoke 
by the prophets. And 
one holy Catholic and 
Apostolic Church. I 
confess one baptism for 
the remission of sins 
And I expect the resur- 
rection of the dead. 
And the life of the 
world to come. Amen. 



DEVOTIONS FOR MASS. 



117 



THE OFFERTORY. 

Consider what an advantage it is to have, in this great 
sacrifice, wherewith to honor God perfectly, to thank him 
in a manner equal to his gifts, to blot out entirely your 
past sins, and to obtain, both for yourself and others, all 
the graces you stand in need of. 

OHOLY Father, Almighty and Eternal 
God ! how unworthy soever I be to ap- 
pear in thy presence, I dare to offer thee this 
host, by the hands of the priest, with that in- 
tention which Christ my Saviour had, when he 
first instituted this sacrifice, and which he has, 
at this very instant, that he immolates himself 
for us. I offer it in acknowledgment of thy 
supreme dominion over me and all creatures. 
I offer it in expiation of my crimes, and in 
thanksgiving for all thy benefits. I offer it to 
obtain of thy infinite goodness, for my parents, 
benefactors, friends and enemies, all those pre- 
cious graces which only through him can be 
obtained, who is the Just One by excellence, 
and w T ho became a victim for the sins of men. 

Accept then, Lord ! this ineffable sacrifice, 
as a sweet odor, and permit me to unite to this 
sacred oblation the sacrifice of my soul and 
body, and whatever I am or have. Change 
me, Lord ! and make me a new creature in 
Christ, as thou art going to change this bread 
and wine by thy power, to make them the body 
and blood of thy Son. 



118 



DEVOTIONS FOR MASS. 



THE WASHING OF THE FINGERS. 

Oh! what cleanness and purity of heart 
should we not bring with us to this great sac- 
rifice ! But, alas ! I am a poor, unclean sinner. 
Oh ! wash me, dear Lord ! from all the stains 
of sin, in the blood of the Lamb, that I may 
be worthy to be present at these heavenly mys- 
teries. 

WHEN THE PRIEST SAYS, ORATE FRATRES. 

Receive, Lord! from the hands of the 
priest, the sacrifice which is now prepared, for 
the praise and the glory of thy name, for our 
benefit, and that of all thy holy Church. Gra- 
ciously hear the prayers which she now offers 
to thee,, by the mouth of her minister, and 
mercifully grant us all the graces which thou 
know est to be necessary for our salvation. 

THE PREFACE. 

Raise your thoughts to heaven, to the very throne of the 
Divinity ; and there, with most holy and respectful awe, 
pay homage to his glorious Majesty, mingling your praises 
with those sacred hymns which the heavenly Spirits are 
ever singing to him. 

Do thou thyself, Lord ! raise up my heart ; 
inflame it with love ; free it from earthly affec- 
tions ; let me be all in heaven, where my 
treasure is, and on the altar, where he is going 
to be. My life, Lord ! is a continued suc- 
cession of thy favors. Oh! let my thanks- 
givings be also uninterrupted ; and since thou 



DEVOTIONS FOR MASS. 



119 



art going to renew the greatest of sacrifices, 
should I not also break forth into the most 
lively acknowledgments? Permit me, then, 
Lord ! to join my feeble voice with all the 
heavenly Spirits, and to say with them, in trans- 
ports of joy and admiration, Holy, holy, holy 
is the Lord God of armies ! The heavens and 
the earth are filled with his glory ! Blessed is 
he who cometh in the name of the Lord! 
eternal King and God, as he who sends him ! 

THE CANON. 

Represent here to yourself the altar as a throne of mercy, 
upon which Christ is to sit, where you are entitled to pre- 
sent yourself, to expose to him your wants, to ask for 
blessings, and to obtain them. Can he, who giveth us his 
only Son, refuse us any thing ? 

Father of mercy ! graciously receive, by 
the hands of the priest, this most holy sacrifice 
in union with that which thy beloved Son of- 
fered up to thee during his whole life, at his 
last supper, and on the cross. Look down on 
thy Christ, thy dearest and only begotten, in 
whom thou art always well pleased; and by 
the infinite merits of his incarnation, of his na- 
tivity, of his tears, labors, sufferings and death, 
have mercy upon me, and upon all those for 
whom I ought to pray, [here name the particu- 
lar persons,'] my parents, brethren, friends, 
benefactors, relations, and those who have in- 
jured me, or whom I have injured. I also be- 
seech thee to guard, prosper and extend the 



120 



DEVOTIONS FOR MASS. 



holy Catholic Church ; to pour down thy 
blessing upon our chief pastor the Pope, 
upon the bishops and all the clergy ; en- 
lighten and guide them in the way of salva- 
tion. Bless and preserve our rulers and all our 
fellow-citizens. Look upon us all, I beseech 
thee, with eyes of mercy and compassion. 
Bring us all to the perfect practice of a holy 
and virtuous life here, and to the possession 
of thy eternal glory hereafter. May we all 
know thee ; may we fear, love and glorify 
thee, through the same Jesus Christ, who, with 
thee and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth 
one God, world without end. Amen. 

Why have I not, God ! at this moment, 
the ardent sighs with which the holy patriarchs 
wished for the Messiah? Why have I not 
their faith and all their love ? Come, Lord 
Jesus ! come, sweet Redeemer of the world ! 
to accomplish a mystery, which is an abridg- 
ment of all thy wonders ! 

Thou art, indeed, the true Pastor of souls, 
who didst lay down thy life for thy flock. 
Thou art the Lamb of God, that died upon 
the cross to save us. I prostrate myself in 
spirit before thee, and desire to praise and 
bless thee for ever. 



DEVOTIONS FOR MASS. 



121 



THE ELEVATION. 

Behold your God, your Saviour, and your Judge ; re- 
main for a while in silent astonishment at what passes be- 
fore yon ; call up all your fervor, and all those sentiments 
which fear, respect and confidence can inspire. 

HAIL, Victim of salvation ! Eternal King ! 
Incarnate Word, sacrificed for me and all 
mankind ! Hail, precious Body of the Son of 
God ! Hail, sacred flesh, torn with nails, 
pierced with a lance, and bleeding on a cross, 
for us poor sinners ! amazing goodness ! 
infinite love ! Oh ! let that tender love 
plead now in my behalf! let all my iniquities t 
be here effaced, and my name be written in 
the book of life ! I believe in thee ; I hope 
in thee; I love thee. To thee be honor, 
praise and glory from all creatures for ever. 

AT THE ELEVATION OF THE CHALICE. 

Hail, sacred blood, flowing from the w T ounds 
of Jesus Christ, and washing away the sins of 
the world! Oh! cleanse, sanctify and preserve 
my soul, that nothing may separate me from 
thee ! Behold, O eternal Father ! thy holy 
Jesus, and look upon the face of thy Christ, in 
whom thou art well pleased. Hear the voice 
of his blood, that cries out to thee, not for ven- 
geance, but for pardon and mercy. Accept 
this divine oblation, and through the infinite 
merits of all that Jesus endured on the cross 
for our salvation, be pleased to look upon us, 
and upon all thy people, with an eye of mercy. 



122 



DEVOTIONS FOR MASS. 



♦ THE CANON CONTINUED. 

m Contemplate, in the most affectionate manner, your Sa- 
viour here present. Reflect on the mysteries he here re- 
news ; unite the sacrifice of your heart to that of his body ; 
offer him to God his Father, with the several intentions, 
with which the sacrifice should be offered, beseeching the 
Father of mercy to accept the prayers, which his dear Son 
addresses to him in your behalf. 

It is now, eternal Majesty! that we truly 
and really offer thee that pure, holy, and im- 
maculate victim, which of thyself thou hast 
been pleased to grant us, and of which all 
other offerings w r ere only the types. The sacri- 
fices of Abel, of Abraham and Melchisedech, 
were nothing compared to ours. This glorious 
victim, thy dear Son himself, the perfect object 
of thy eternal love, is alone worthy of thy altar, 
and an offering by so much the more precious 
than theirs, as God is greater than all creatures. 

OFFER THE MASS AS A SACRIFICE OF ADORATION. 

sovereign Lord of all things ! graciously 
accept my humble homage, in union w T ith that 
which thou here receivest from Christ, thy be- 
loved Son, in whom thou art well pleased. 
"With him, I offer thee his ow r n holy sacrifice, 
for the end he proposes, w T hile he immolates 
himself upon this altar. He alone knows the 
boundless excellence of thy unspeakable ma- 
jesty. He alone fully comprehends the entire 
extent of thy dominion. He beholds thee as 
thou art, and how all creatures, visible and in- 



DEVOTIONS FOR MASS. 



123 



visible, depend on thee. He clearly conceives, 
that thy right is absolute over all we are, and 
all we possess, or can hope for in this life and 
in eternity. It is to acknowledge this supreme 
dominion, and to make in his name a public 
profession of our total dependence upon thee, 
that he renews every day, and that we renew 
with him, this most holy sacrifice. 

OFFER IT AS A SACRIFICE OF THANKSGIVING. 

Vouchsafe also, dearest Lord ! to receive this 
precious victim in thanksgiving for all thy 
benefits. Thou hast created me to thy own 
likeness ; and without thee, I must fall back 
into my original nothing. For my sake, thy 
beloved Son gave himself up to the cruelty of 
the Jews, and to an ignominious death ; nor 
doth a moment of my existence pass away, 
without new r proofs of thy bounty. I wish, O 
Lord ! I could, even at the price of my blood, 
acknowledge, in some degree, these number- 
less favors : but the offering I here make thee, 
is far more acceptable ; it is thy own Son, equal 
in all things to thee ; the figure of thy sub- 
stance, the splendor of thy glory. 

AS A SACRIFICE OF EXPIATION. 

Remember, merciful Father ! that the sa- 
crifice w T e are now offering to thee, is a repre- 
sentation of that which was offered by our Sa- 
viour on the cross. May it be now again a 
propitiatory sacrifice. Pardon us our ingrati- 



124 



DEVOTIONS FOR MASS. 



tude. Our transgressions, it is true, are grievous 
and manifold; but then, Lord! it is the blood 
of a God we offer in atonement. 

AS A SACRIFICE OF IMPETRATION. 

God! who art infinitely bountiful, be 
pleased now to crown all thy favors by the 
gift of a lively faith, of a firm hope, of an ar- 
dent charity. Bless all my labors ; give me 
clearly to know thy holy will, and steadily to 
execute it ; grant me to persevere in thy grace 
to the end of my life. Have mercy on the 
souls of the faithful departed, and particularly 
on those, whom I am bound to pray for. 
[Name them.] Deliver them, Lord ! from 
their sufferings, through the powerful merits 
of thy Son. 

PATER NOSTER. 

Here, we are with Jesus on a new Calvary. Let us re- 
main at the foot of his cross, with the tender compassion 
of the Blessed Virgin, with the ardent love of St. John; or 
standing afar off with Magdalen, let us weep bitterly over 
our offences. With sentiments like these, let us recite 
the Lord's Prayer with the priest. 

Pater noster, qui es Our Father, w T ho art 

in coelis ; sanctificetur in heaven ; hallowed 

nomen tuum. Adve- be thy name: thy king- 

niat regnum tuum. dom come: thy will be 

Fiat voluntas tua sicut done on earth as it is in 

in ccelo et in terra, heaven. Give us this 

Panem nostrum quo- day our daily bread: 

tidianum da nobis and forgive us our tres* 



DEVOTIONS FOR MASS. 



125 



hodie. Et dimitte no- passes, as we forgive 
bis debita nostra, sicut them that trespass a- 
et nos dimittimus de- gainst us. And lead 
bitoribus nostris. Et us not into temptation, 
ne nos inducas in ten- R. But deliver us 
tationem. R. Sed libe- from evil. P. Amen. 
ra nos a malo. P. 
Amen. 

Deliver us, we beseech thee, Lord ! from 
all evils, past, present, and to come : and by 
the intercession of the Blessed and ever Virgin 
Mary, mother of God, and of the holy apos- 
tles Peter, Paul and Andrew, and of all the 
Saints, mercifully grant peace in our days, that, 
through the assistance of thy mercy, we may 
be always free from sin, and secure from all 
disturbance, through the same Jesus Christ, 
our Lord, who with thee liveth and reigneth 
in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without 
end. Amen. 

THE AGNUS DEI. 

God, so glorious in heaven, so powerful on earth, so 
dreadful in hell, is here only a Lamb full of sweetness and 
bounty. He comes here to take away the sins of the 
world, and your sins in particular. What a motive of con- 
fidence ! What a subject of consolation ! 

Lamb of God! sacrificed for my sake, 
have mercy on me. adorable victim of my 
salvation ! look down on me, and save me, Di- 
vine Mediator! obtain pardon of thy Father 
for me, a sinner, and mercifully grant me the 
sweets of thy peace. Amen. 



126 



DEVOTIONS FOR MASS. 



THE COMMUNION. 

To communicate spiritually, renew by an act of faith, 
your firm belief of Christ's real presence. Make an act 
of contrition. Desire most earnestly to receive him with 
the priest. Beg of him to accept these desires, and to 
unite himself to you in the effusion of his graces. 

What a comfort to me, my God ! were I 
in the number of those, whose sanctity allows 
them to receive thee daily ! What an advan- 
tage, could I, at this instant, possess thee in 
my heart, there pay thee my homage, lay open 
to thee my wants, and share in the favors 
which thou grantest to those who receive thee 
really! But since I am unworthy, do thou, 
Lord ! supply my w T ant of dispositions ; pardon 
me my sins ; I detest them from my heart, 
because they are displeasing to thee. Accept 
my ardent wish to be united to thee ; cast 
thine eye upon me, and purify my soul, that I 
may soon be fit to receive thee worthily. But 
until the arrival of this happy day, I earnestly 
entreat thee, dearest Lord ! that thou wouldst 
make me a sharer in all the advantages, which 
the communion of the priest shall produce in 
these thy people. Increase my faith by the 
virtue of this sacrament, strengthen my hope, 
fill my heart with love, that it beat but for thee, 
and live for thee alone. Amen, 



DEVOTIONS FOR MASS. 



127 



THE LAST PRAYER. 

Strive earnestly to offer your Lord sacrifice for sacrifice, 
by becoming the victim of his love. Immolate freely lo 
him all sinful inclinations, and whatever is contrary to his 
holy will. 

Thou hast offered thyself, Lord ! for my 
salvation ; I desire to be sacrificed for thy 
glory. I am thy victim, do with me as thou 
wiliest. Whatever I have, I consecrate en- 
tirely to thee. Those crosses, which thou 
shalt please to send me, I most freely accept. 
I bless them ; I receive them from thy hand, 
and unite them with those thou hast endured 
for my sake. I am now r about to leave thy 
temple, resolved, with thy help, to serve thee 
faithfully. I will struggle against my failings, 
but chiefly against that to w 7 hich I am most in- 
clined. Thy law shall henceforth direct me, 
and I shall forfeit all, and suffer every thing, 
rather than mortally transgress it. 

THE BENEDICTION. 

Receive this blessing from the priest, as being given you 
in the name of the Lord. Thank him sincerely for the 
favors here granted you ; lay up with care the fruits of this 
sacrifice, and let your conduct be such, that all who see 
you, may clearly perceive how much you have profited by 
so holy an action. 

Most holy and adorable Trinity ! by thee we 
have begun this sacrifice, by thee we desire to 
conclude it : we therefore shall not leave thee, 
until thou bless us. Give us, Lord! thy 
blessing, by the hands of this priest ; may it 
ever remain with us; may it influence our 



128 



DEVOTIONS FOR MASS. 



actions, and be the sure pledge of that last 
benediction, which thy elect will receive, when 
called by thee into eternal glory. 

THE LAST GOSPEL. 

Divine Word! only Son of the Father; 
Light of the world! who earnest from heaven 
to show us the way to it, I adore thy Majesty 
with the most profound respect. I place my 
whole confidence in thee. I hope most firmly, 
that as thou art my God, a God made man to 
save mankind, thou wilt grant me those graces 
my sanctification requires, and also the enjoy- 
ment of thee in thy glory. 

A PRAYER AFTER MASS. 

I earnestly thank thee, my God ! for hav- 
ing permitted me to assist at the celebration 
of this holy sacrifice, in preference to so many 
others who have not been thus favored. I 
humbly entreat thee to pardon me the faults 
which I have committed during it, either by 
my inattention or my neglect. Grant that I 
remember, through the course of the day, what 
thou hast here done for me. Grant that no 
thought, word or action of mine, deprive me 
of the graces, of which, through thy infinite 
mercy, I have been partaker. 



METHOD OF HEARING MASS SPIRITUALLY. 



FOR THE ABSENT. 

It often happens, that Christians, through distance of 
place, indisposition, or other unavoidable impediments, are 
hindered from being present at the great sacrifice of the 
Mass. In these cases, it is proper they should endeavor 
to assist thereat, at least in spirit, which may be done, 
with great fruit to their souls, in the following manner: 

Let them choose a proper time in the morning, and by 
themselves, or with their family, if they have one, let them 
go into their oratory, and there present themselves in 
spirit before the altar of God. Having bewailed their mis- 
fortune in being kept at a distance from these heavenly 
mysteries, let them unite in heart and affection with all, 
that are offering this sacrifice to God at this time ; repre- 
senting more particularly to themselves that Mass, which 
is then offered in the place where they commonly hear it, 
and applying themselves to the same devotions they com- 
monly use during the celebration of the holy sacrifice. 

Thus, for example, at the Confiteor, let them confess 
their sins, with a hearty repentance ; at the Kyrie Eleison, 
let them cry out to God for mercy; at the Gloria in 
excelsis, let them give glory and adoration to God; at the 
Collects, let them recommend to him their own, and the 
Church's necessities ; at the Epistle and Gospel, let them 
beg God's grace, that they may conform their lives to his 
holy word. Let them in this manner accommodate their 
devotion to all the other parts of the Mass ; always bear- 
ing in mind the four intentions of the sacrifice and the 
passion of Christ, — and remembering to make a spiritual 
communion, uniting themselves, in every part of this sa- 
crifice, with Jesus Christ, and offering themselves to God 
with him, and through him. 



129 



i 



THE COLLECTS AND GOSPELS FOR THE SUNDAYS 
AND HOLYDAYS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. 

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT. 
The Prayer, 

STIR up thy might, we beseech thee, Lord ! 
and come : that, by thy protection, we may de- 
serve to be delivered from the threatening dangers of 
our sins, and by thy deliverance be saved : who 
livest, &c. 

The two following prayers are added until Christmas. 

OGOD ! who didst please that thy Word should 
take flesh, at the message of an Angel, in the 
womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary : grant to thy sup- 
pliants, that we who believe her to be truly the mo- 
ther of God, may be helped by her intercession. 

For the Church. 

WE beseech thee, Lord! in thy clemency 
admit the prayers of thy Church; that all 
errors and adversities being destroyed, she may serve 
thee with secure liberty : through our Lord, &c. 

The Gospel. Luke xxi 25 — 33. 
T that time: Jesus said to his disciples: There 
shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and 
in the stars : and upon the earth distress of nations, 
by reason of the confusion of the roaring of the sea 
and of the waves, men withering away for fear, and 
expectation of what shall come upon the whole world. 
For the powers of the heavens shall be moved, and 
then they shall see the Son of Man coming in a 
cloud with great power and majesty. But when 
these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift 

130 




COLLECTS AND GOSPELS. 



131 



up your heads : because your redemption is at hand. 
And he spoke to them a similitude : See the fig-tree 
and all the trees : when they now shoot forth their 
fruit, you know the summer is nigh: so likewise 
when you see these things come to pass, know that 
the kingdom of God is at hand. Amen, 1 say to you, 
this generation shall not pass away till all things be 
fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away but my 
words shall not pass away. 

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT. 

The Prayer. 

STIR up our hearts, Lord ! to prepare the ways 
of thy only begotten Son : that by his coming 
we may be worthy to serve thee with purified minds : 
who livest, &c. 

The Gospel. Matt, xi 2—10. 

f\T that time : When John had heard in prison the 
wl works of Christ, sending two of his disciples he 
said to him : Art thou he that art to come, or look we 
for another] And Jesus, making answer, said to them: 
Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen. 
The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, 
the deaf hear, the dead rise again, the poor have the 
gospel preached to them. And blessed is he that 
shall not be scandalized in me. And when they went 
their way, Jesus began to say to the multitude, con- 
cerning John : What went you out into the desert to 
see 1 A reed shaken with the wind 1 But what 
w T ent you out to see 1 A man clothed in soft gar- 
ments 1 Behold, they that are clothed in soft gar- 
ments are in the houses of kings. But what went 
you out to see 1 A prophet 1 Yea, I tell you, and 
more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is 
written : M Behold, I send my angel before thy face, 
who shall prepare thy way before thee." 



132 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 



THIRD SUNDAY OE ADVENT. 

The Prayer, 

XT^E beseech thee, O Lord! incline thine ear to 
1 1 our prayers ; and enlighten the darkness of 
our mind, by the grace of thy visitation : who livest, 
&c. 

The Gospel John i 19—28. 

f\T that time: The Jews sent from Jerusalem 
ft-I Priests and Levites to John, to ask him : Who 
art thou ? And he confessed, and did not deny: and 
he confessed : I am not the Christ. And they asked 
him : What then T Art thou Elias 1 And he said : 
I am not. Art thou a prophet ] And he answered : 
No. They said therefore unto him : Who art thou, 
tbat we may give an answer to them that sent us? 
What sayest thou of thyself? He said : "I am the 
voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight 
the way of the Lord," as said the prophet Isaias. 
And they that were sent were of the Pharisees, and 
they asked and said to him: Why then dost thou 
baptize, if thou be not Christ, nor Elias, nor the pro- 
phet ] John answered them, saying : I baptize with 
water; but there hath stood one in the midst of you, 
whom you know not. The same is he that shall 
come after me, who is preferred before me; the latchet 
of whose shoe I am not worthy to loose. These 
thingrs were done in Bethania beyond the Jordan, 
where John was baptizing. 

EOrRTH SEND AY 01 ADVENT. 

The Prayer. 

STIR up thy might, we beseech thee, Lord! and 
come: and succour us ^ith great power; that 
by the help of thy grace, the indulgence of thy 
mercy may accelerate what our sins impede: who 
livest, &c. 



FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLYDAYS. 133 



The Gospel. Luke iii 1 — 6. 

NOW in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius 
Csesar (Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, 
and Herod Tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother 
Tetrarch of Iturea, and the country of Trachonitis, 
and Lysanias Tetrarch of Abilina under the High 
Priests Annas and Caiphas) the word of the Lord 
came to John the son of Zachary in the desert. And 
he came into all the country about the Jordan, preach- 
ing the baptism of penance for the remission of sins, 
as it was written in the book of the words of Isaias 
the prophet : " A voice of one crying in the wilder- 
ness, prepare ye the way of the Lord : make straight 
his paths, every valle)^ shall be filled, and every 
mountain and hill shall be brought low : and the 
crooked shall be made straight : and the rough ways 
plain :" and all flesh shall see the salvation of God. 

CHRISTMAS DAY. 

The Prayer. 

GRANT us, we beseech thee, O Almighty God ! 
that we who are filled with the new light of 
thy incarnate Word, may show forth in our works 
what Faith displays in our minds : through the same, 
&c. 

The Gospel. Luke ii 15—20. 

/J T that time : The shepherds said one to another : 
*H Let us go over to Bethlehem, and let us see 
this word that is come to pass which the Lord has 
showed to us. And they came with haste ; and they 
found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in a 
manger. And seeing, they understood of the word 
that had been spoken to them concerning this child. 
And all that heard wondered : and at those things 
that were told them by the shepherds. But Mary 
kept all these words, pondering them in her heart. 
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising 



134 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 



God, for all the things they had heard and seen, as it 
was told unto them. 

SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS DAY. 
The Prayer, 

ALMIGHTY and Eternal God ! direct our ac- 
tions so as to be pleasing- to thee : that in the 
name of thy beloved Son, we may deserve to abound 
in good works : who livest, &c. 

The Gospel Luke ii 33—40. 
f\ T that time : Joseph, and Mary the mother of Jesus, 
tZt were wondering at those things which were 
spoken concerning him. And Simon blessed them, 
and said to Mary his mother : Behold, this child is 
set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in 
Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted. 
And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that out of 
many hearts thoughts may be revealed. And there 
was one Anna a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, 
of the tribe of Asar ; she was far advanced in years, 
and had lived with her husband seven years from her 
virginity. And she was a widow until fourscore and 
four years : who departed not from the temple, by 
fastings and prayers serving day and night. Now 
she at the same hour coming in, confessed to the 
Lord ; and spoke of Him to all that looked for the 
redemption of Israel. And after they had performed 
all things according to the law of the Lord, they re- 
turned into Galilee, to their city, Nazareth. And the 
child grew and waxed strong, full of wisdom ; and 
the grace of God was in him. 

THE CIRCUMCISION. 

The Prayer. 

OGOD ! who by the fruitful virginity of Blessed 
Mary, hast bestowed on mankind the rewards 
of eternal salvation : grant, we beseech thee, that we 



FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLYDAYS. 135 



may experience her intercession for us, by whom we 
have been found worthy to receive the author of life, 
our Lord Jesus Christ, &c. 

The Gospel Luke ii 21. 
T that time.- After eight days were accomplished 
that the child should be circumcised : his name 
was called JESUS, which was called by the Angel, 
before he was conceived in the womb. 

THE EPIPHANY. 

The Prayer. 

OGOD ! who didst this day reveal thy only be- 
gotten Son to the Gentiles by the guidance of a 
star : grant in thy mercy, that we who already know 
thee by Faith, may be brought to contemplate the 
beauty of thy Majesty : through the same, &c. 

The Gospel Matt, ii 1—12. 

WHEN Jesus, therefore, was born in Bethlehem 
of Judea, in the days of king Herod, behold, 
there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem. 
Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews 1 
For we have seen his star in the East, and are come 
to adore him. And king Herod hearing this, was 
troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And assem- 
bling together all the chief priests and Scribes of the 
people, he inquired of them where Christ should be 
born. But they said to him : In Bethlehem of Juda. 
For so it is written by the prophet : " And thou Beth- 
lehem the land of Juda art not the least among the 
princes of Juda : for out of thee shall come forth the 
captain that shall rule my people Israel." Then He- 
rod privately calling the wise men learned diligently 
of them the time of the star which appeared to them ; 
and sending them into Bethlehem, said : Go and dili- 
gently inquire after the child, and when you have 
found him, bring me word again, that I also may 




136 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 



come and adore him. Who having heard the king, 
went their way ; and behold the star which they had 
seen in the East, went before them, until it came and 
stood over where the child was. And seeing the star 
they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And entering 
into the house, they found the child with Mary his 
mother, and falling down they adored him ; and open- 
ing their treasures, they offered him gifts; gold, 
frankincense, and myrrh. And having received an 
answer in sleep that they should not return to Herod, 
they went back another way into their country. 

FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. 
The Prayer, 

GRANT, we beseech thee, Lord ! in thy hea- 
venly mercy, the prayers of thy suppliant peo- 
ple : that they may both see what they ought to do, 
and may be enabled to do what they see : through our 
Lord, &c. 

The Gospel. Luke ii 42—52. 

"TTTHEN Jesus was twelve years old, they went 
T V up to Jerusalem according to the custom of 
the feast. And having fulfilled the days, when they 
returned, the child Jesus remained in Jerusalem, and 
his parents knew it not. And thinking that he was 
in the company, they came a day's journey, and 
sought him among their kinsfolks and acquaintance. 
And not finding him, they returned into Jerusalem, 
seeking him. And it came to pass, that after three 
days they found him in the temple, sitting in the 
midst of the doctors, hearing them and asking them 
questions. And all that heard him were astonished 
at his wisdom and his answers. And seeing him they 
wondered. And his mother said to him : Son, why 
hast thou done so to us 1 behold thy father and I 
have sought thee sorrowing. And he said to them : 
How is it that you sought me 1 did you not know 



FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLYDAYS. 137 



that I must be about my father's business? and they 
understood not the words that he spoke unto them. 
And he went down with them, and came to Naza- 
reth : and was subject to them. And his mother kept 
all these words in her heart. And Jesus advanced in 
wisdom and age, and grace with God and men. 

SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. 

The Prayer. 

ALMIGHTY and Eternal God ! who governest 
all things in heaven and on earth : mercifully 
hear the supplications of thy people, and grant thy 
peace in our days : through, &c. 

The Gospel St. John ii 1—11. 

T that time : There was a marriage in Cana of Ga- 
lilee : and the mother of Jesus was there. And Je- 
sus also was invited, and his disciples, to the marriage. 
And the wine failing, the mother of Jesus saith to him : 
They have no wine. And Jesus saith to her : Wo- 
man, what is it to me and to thee 1 my hour is not 
yet come. His mother saith to the waiters : Whatso- 
ever he shall say to you, do ye. Now there were set 
there six water-pots of stone, according to the manner 
of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three 
measures a piece. Jesus saith to them : Fill the 
water-pots with water. And they rilled them up to 
the brim. And Jesus saith to them : Draw out now, 
and carry to the chief steward of the feast. And 
they carried it. And when the chief steward had 
tasted the water made wine, and knew not whence it 
was, but the waiters knew who had drawn the water ; 
the chief steward calleth the bridegroom, and saith 
to him : Every man at first setteth forth good wine, 
and when men have well drunk, then that which is 
worse. But thou hast kept the good wine until now. 
This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of 

12* 




138 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 



Galilee, and manifested his glory ; and his disciples 
believed in him. 

THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. 

The Prayer. 

ALMIGHTY and Eternal God ! mercifully look 
upon our infirmity: and extend the right hand 
of thy Majesty for our protection: through, &c. 

The second Prayer is that of the Circumcision, p. 134 : 
the third is, the third Prayer of the first Sunday of Advent, 
p. 130, or, for the Pope, as follows. 

OGOD ! the Pastor and Ruler of all the faithful, 
mercifully regard thy servant [A B] whom thou 
hast been pleased should preside as Pastor of thy 
Church : grant him, we beseech thee, to benefit, by 
word and example, those over whom he presides ; 
that he may arrive, together with the flock intrusted 
to him, at eternal life : through our Lord, &c. 

The Gospel Matt, viii 1 — 13. 

/JjT that time: When Jesus was come down from 
wJL the mountain, great multitudes followed him ; 
and behold a leper came and adored him, saying: 
Lord ! if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And 
Jesus, stretching forth his hand, touched him, saying : 
I will, be thou made clean. And forthwith his lep- 
rosy was cleansed. And Jesus saith to him: See 
thou tell no man ; but go show thyself to the priest, 
and offer the gift which Moses commanded for a tes- 
timony unto them. And when he had entered into 
Capharnaum, there came to him a centurion, beseech- 
ing him, and saying, Lord ! my servant lieth at home 
sick of the palsy, and is grievously tormented. And 
Jesus saith to him : I will corns and heal him. And 
the centurion, making answer, said : Lord ! I am 
not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof ; 
but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed. 
For I also am a man subject to authority, having un- 



FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLYDAYS. 139 



der me soldiers ; and I say to this, Go, and he goeth, 
and to another, Come, and he cometh, and to my ser- 
vant, Do this, and he doeth it. And Jesus, hearing 
this, marvelled; and said to them that followed him: 
Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith in 
Israel. And I say to you that many shall come from 
the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abra- 
ham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven : 
but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into 
the exterior darkness ; there shall be weeping and 
gnashing of teeth. And Jesus said to the centurion : 
Go, and as thou hast believed, so be it done to thee. 
And the servant was healed at the same hour. 

FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. 

The Prayer, 

OGOD ! who knowest that amidst so many dan- 
gers we cannot subsist, through human frailty : 
grant us safety of mind and body, that we may sur- 
mount those things, by the grace, which we surfer for 
our sins : through our Lord, &c. 

The other two prayers as on last Sunday. 
The Gospel Matt, viii 23—27. 

fhT that time : When Jesus entered into a boat his 
wl disciples followed him ; and behold a great tem- 
pest arose in the sea, so that the ship was covered 
with waves, but he was asleep. And his disciples 
came to him, and awakened him, saying : Lord ! 
save us, we perish. And Jesus saith unto them: 
Why are ye fearful, ye of little faith? Then rising 
up, he commanded the winds and the sea, and there 
came a great calm. But the men wondered, saying 
What manner of man is this, for the winds and the 
sea obey him. 



140 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 



FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. 
The Prayer. 

PRESERVE, we beseech thee, Lord ! thy fa- 
mily, by continued mercy : that, relying solely 
on the hope of heavenly grace, it may be always de- 
fended by thy protection : through our Lord, &c. 

Second Prayer, 

DEFEND us, we beseech thee, Lord! from all 
dangers of mind and body : and by the interces- 
sion of the blessed and glorious Mary ever Virgin, 
Mother of God, with blessed Joseph, and thy blessed 
Apostles Peter and Paul, and blessed N., and all the 
Saints, mercifully grant us safety and peace . that all 
adversities and errors being destroyed, thy Church 
may serve thee with secure liberty. 

The third prayer is at the choice of each person. 

The Gospel Matt, xiii 24—30. 

T that time: Jesus spoke this parable to the mul- 
titude, saying: The kingdom of heaven is likened 
to a man that sowed good seed in his field. But 
while men were asleep, his enemy came and over- 
sowed cockle among the wheat, and went his way. 
And when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth 
fruit, then appeared also the cockle. Then the ser- 
vants of the good man of the house came and said to 
him : Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field 1 
from whence then hath it cockle ] And he said to 
them : An enemy hath done this. And the servants 
said to him : Wilt thou that we go and gather it up 1 
And he said : No, lest while you gather up the cockle, 
you root up tbe wheat also together with it. Let 
both grow until the harvest, and in the time of the 
harvest I will say to the reapers : Gather up first the 
cockle, and bind it in bundles to burn, but gather the 
wheat into my barn. 




FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLYDAYS. 



141 



SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. 
The Prayer, 

GRANT, we beseech thee, Almighty God ! that 
ever fixing* our thoughts on reasonable times ; 
we may perform, both in words and works, the things 
that are pleasing to Thee : through, &c. 

Second and third prayer as on last Sunday. 

The Gospel Matt, xiii 31—35. 

T that time .• Jesus spoke to the multitude this 
parable : The kingdom of heaven is like to a 
grain of mustard-seed, which a man took and sowed 
in his field, which indeed is the least of all seeds : 
but when it is grown up it is greater than all herbs, 
and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come 
and dwell in the branches thereof. Another parable 
he spoke to them : the kingdom of heaven is like to 
leaven, which a woman took and hid in three mea- 
sures of meal, until the whole was leavened. All 
these things Jesus spoke in parables to the multitudes ; 
and without parables he did not speak to them : that 
the word might be fulfilled which was spoken by the 
prophet, saying: "I will open my mouth in parables, 
I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the 
world," 

SEPTUAGESIMA SUNDAY. 

The Prayer. 

GRACIOUSLY hear the prayers of thy people, 
we beseech thee, Lord ! that we who are 
justly afflicted for our sins, may be mercifully deli- 
vered, for the glory of thy name : through our Lord, 
&c. 

The second and third prayer as on the Fifth Sunday after 
Epiphany, p. 140. 




142 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 



The Gospel Matt, xx 1—16. 

T that time .• Jesus spoke to his disciples this 
parable: The kingdom of heaven is like to a 
householder who went out early in the morning to 
hire laborers into his vineyard. And having agreed 
with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into 
his vineyard. And going out about the third hour, he 
saw others standing in the market place idle. And 
he said to them : Go you also into my vineyard, 
and I will give you what shall be just. And they 
went their way. And again he went out about the 
sixth and the ninth hour, and did in like manner. But 
about the eleventh hour he went out and found others 
standing, and he saith to them : Why stand you here 
all the day idle 1 They say to him : Because no man 
hath hired us. He saith to them : Go you also into 
my vineyard. And when evening was come, the Lord 
of the vineyard said to his steward : Call the laborers 
and pay them their hire, beginning from the last even 
to the first. When therefore they were come, that 
came about the eleventh hour, they received every 
man a penny. But when the first also came, they 
thought that they should have received more : and 
they also received every man a penny. And re- 
ceiving it they murmured against the master of the 
house, saying: These last have worked but one 
hour, and thou hast made them equal to us that have 
borne the burden of the day, and the heats. But 
he answering said to one of them : Friend, I do 
thee no wrong : didst not thou agree with me for a 
penny 1 Take what is thine, and go thy way : I will 
also give to this last even as to thee. Or, is it not 
lawful for me to do what I will 1 is thy eye evil, be- 
cause I am good 1 So shall the last be first, and the 
first last. For many are called, but few chosen. 




FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLYDAYS. 143 



SEXAGESIMA SUNDAY. 

The Prayer. 

OGOD ! who seest that we confide in no action 
of our own : grant in thy mercy, that we may 
be defended from all evils by the protection of the 
Doctor of the Gentiles : through our Lord, &c. 

The other Prayers are the same as on the Fifth Sunday 
after Epiphany, p. 140. 

The Gospel. Luke viii 4 — 15. 
f\T ifiat time: When a very great multitude was 
wl gathered together and hastened out of the cities 
to meet Jesus, he spoke by a similitude. A sower 
went out to sow his seed : and as he sowed some fell 
by the way-side, and it was trodden down, and the 
fowls of the air devoured it. And other some fell 
upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it 
withered away because it had no moisture. And other 
some fell among thorns, and the thorns growing up 
with it, choked it. And other some fell upon good 
ground ; and sprung up, and yielded fruit a hundred- 
fold. Saying these things he cried out: He that hath 
ears to hear, let him hear. And his disciples asked 
him what this parable might be. To whom he said: 
To you it is given to know the mystery of the king- 
dom of God : but to the rest in parables ; that seeing 
they may not see, end hearing they may not under- 
stand. Now the parable is this : The seed is the 
word of God. And they by the way-side, are they 
that hear ; 'then the devil cometh, and taketh the word 
out of their hearts, lest believing they should be saved. 
Now they upon a rock, are they who when they hear, 
receive the word with joy : and these have no roots ; 
for they believe for a while, and in time of temptation 
fall away. And that which fell among thorns, are they 
who have heard, and going their way, are choked with 
the cares and the riches and pleasures of this life, and 
yield no fruit. But that on the good ground, are they 



144 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 



who in a good and perfect heart, hearing* the word, 
keep it, and bring forth fruit in patience. 

QUINQUAGESIMA SUNDAY. 

The Prayer. 

MERCIFULLY hear our prayers, Lord ! we 
beseech thee ; and absolving us from the bonds 
of sin, preserve us from all adversity : through our 
Lord, Jesus Christ, thy Son, who with thee, &c. 

The other prayers are the same as on the Fifth Sunday 
after Epiphany, p. 140. 

The Gospel Luke xviii 31 — 43. 

T that time : Jesus took unto him the twelve, and 
said to them : Behold we go up to Jerusalem, 
and all things shall be accomplished which were 
written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man. 
For he shall be delivered to the Gentiles, and shall be 
mocked, and scourged, and spit upon : and after they 
have scourged him, they will put him to death, and 
the third day he shall rise again. And they under- 
stood none of these things, and this word was hid 
from them, and they understood not the things that 
were said. Now it came to pass, that when he drew 
nigh to Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way- 
side, begging. And when he heard the multitude 
passing by, he asked what this meant. And they told 
him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he 
cried out : Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. 
And they that went before rebuked him, that he should 
hold his peace. But he cried out much more : Son 
of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus standin 
commanded him to be brought unto him. And wh a 
he was come near, he asked him, saying : What wilt 
thou that I do to thee ? But he said : Lord, that I 
may see. And Jesus said to him : Receive thy sight ; 
thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he 
saw, and followed him, glorifying God. And all the 
people when they saw it, gave praise to God. 




FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLYDAYS. 145 



ASH-WEDNESDAY. 

The Prayer, 

GRANT to thy faithful, Lord! that they may 
begin the venerable solemnities of fasting with 
becoming piety, and perform them with secure devo- 
tion : through our Lord, &c. 

From this day till Passion Sunday, two other prayers 
are said; viz., " Defend us," &c, as on the Fifth Sunday 
after Epiphany, (p. 140,) and the following. 

ALMIGHTY and Eternal God ! who hast do- 
minion over the living and the dead, and art 
merciful to all whom thou foreknowest shall be thine 
by faith and good works : we humbly beseech thee, that 
they for whom we have purposed to pour forth prayers, 
and whom either the present world still detains in 
the rlesh, or the future has received already out of the 
body, may by the intercession of all thy Saints, and 
the clemency of thy mercy, obtain the pardon of all 
their sins : through our Lord, &c. 

The Gospel Matt, vi 16—21. 

T that time : Jesus said to his disciples : When you 
fast be not as the hypocrites, sad. For they dis- 
figure their faces, that they may appear to man to fast. 
Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. 
But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and 
wash thy face: that thou appear not to men to fast, but 
to thy Father, who is in secret : and thy father,, who 
seeth in secret, will reward thee. Lay not up for 
yourselves treasures on earth : where the rust and 
moth consume, and where thieves break through and 
steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven : 
where neither rust nor moth doth consume, and where 
thieves do not break through, nor steal. Fox where 
thy treasure is, there is thy heart also. 

AttiiW mwtAn rtlriiiWi »rr ^hfmUtWw ' (TOO ifi 




146 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 



FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT. 
The Prayer. 

OGOD ! who dost purify thy Church by the an- 
nual observance of Lent ; grant to thy servants, 
that what they endeavor to obtain of thee by absti- 
nence, they may pursue by good works : through, &c. 
The other prayers as on Ash- Wednesday, p. 145. 

The Gospel IVfett. iv 1—11. 
/) T that time t Jesus was led by the spirit into the 
wl desert, to be tempted by the devil. And when 
he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was after- 
wards hungry. And the tempter coming said to him : 
If thou be the Son of God command that these stones 
be made bread. Who answered and said : It is writ- 
ten, " Not in bread alone doth man live, but in every 
word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Then 
the devil took him into the holy city, and set him upon 
a pinnacle of the temple, and said to him : If thou be 
the Son of God, cast thyself down, for it is written, 
" He hath given his Angels charge over thee, and in 
their hands shall they bear thee up, lest perhaps thou 
dash thy foot against a stone." Jesus said to him : 
It is written, again : " Thou shalt not tempt the Lord 
thy God." Again the devil took him up into a very 
high mountain : and showed him all the kingdoms of 
the world, and the glory of them. And said to him : 
All these will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and 
adore me. Then Jesus said to him : Begone, Satan : 
for it is written, " The Lord thy God shalt thou adore, 
and him only shalt thou serve." Then the devil left 
him ; and behold Angels came and ministered to him. 

SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT. 
The Prayer. 

OGOD ! who beholdest us destitute of every virtue, 
preserve us interiorly and exteriorly, that we 



FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLIDAYS. 147 



may be defended from all adversities of body, and be 
purified from all evil thoughts in mind : through, &c. 
The other prayers as on Ash- Wednesday, p. 145. 

The Gospel Matt, xvii 1—9. 

f\T that time: Jesus taketh unto him Peter and 
t/Z James, and John his brother, and bringeth them 
up into a high mountain apart: and he was trans- 
figured before them. And his face did shine as the 
sun ; and his garments became white as snow. And 
behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talk- 
ing with him. Then Peter answering, said to Jesus : 
Lord ! it is good for us to be here : if thou wilt, let us 
make here three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for 
Moses, and one for Elias. And as he was yet speak- 
ing, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. And 
lo ! a voice out of the cloud, saying : This is my be- 
loved Son, in whom I arn well pleased : hear ye him. 
And the disciples hearing, fell upon their face, and 
were very much afraid. And Jesus came and touched 
them: and said to them: Arise, and be not afraid. 
And when they lifted up their eyes they saw no one, 
but only Jesus. And as they came down from the 
mountain, Jesus charged them, saying : Tell the vision 
to no man, till the Son of Man shall be risen from 
the dead. 

THiap SUNDAY IN LENT. 
The Prayer. 

WE beseech thee, Almighty God ! regard the 
prayers of thy humble servants : and stretch 
forth in our defence the right hand of thy Majesty. 
Through, &c. 

The other prayers as on Ash- Wednesday, p. 145. 

The Gospel Luke xi 14—28. 




T that time : Jesus was casting out a devil, and 
the same was dumb ; and when he had cast 



148 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 



out the devil, the dumb spoke ; and the multitude 
were in admiration at it : but some of them said : He 
casteth out devils, by Beelzebub the prince of devils. 
And others tempting, asked of him a sign from hea- 
ven. But he, seeing their thoughts, said to them : 
Every kingdom divided against itself shall be brought 
to desolation, and house upon house shall fall. And 
if Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his 
kingdom stand ] because you say, that through Beel- 
zebub I cast out devils. Now if I cast out devils 
by Beelzebub : by whom do your children cast them 
out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if 1 
by the finger of God cast out devils : doubtless the 
kingdom of God is come upon you. When a strong 
man armed keepeth his court: those things are in 
peace which he possesseth. But if a stronger than 
he come upon him and overcome him : he will take 
away all his armor wherein he trusted, and will dis- 
tribute his spoils. He that is not with me, is against 
me : and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth. 
When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he 
walketh through places without water, seeking rest : 
and not finding, he saith : I will return into my house 
whence I came out. And when he is come, he findeth 
it swept and garnished. Then he goeth and taketh 
with him seven other spirits more wicked than him- 
self, and entering in they dwell there. And the last 
state of that man becometh worse than the first. And 
it came to pass : as he spoke these things, a certain 
woman from the crowd lifting up her voice said to 
him : Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the 
breasts that gave thee suck. But he said : Yea rather, 
blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it. 

FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT. 
The Prayer. 

f^i RANT, we beseech thee, O Almighty God I that 




afflicted for our deeds, as we de- 



FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLYDAYS. 149 



serve, may be relieved by the comfort of thy grace : 
through, &c. 

The other prayers as on Ash- Wednesday, p. 145. 

The Gospel. John vi 1 — 15. 

f\T that time: Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, 
wl which is that of Tiberias; and a great multi- 
tude followed him, because they saw the miracles 
which he did on them that were diseased. Jesus 
therefore went up into a mountain, and there he sat 
with his disciples. Now the pasch, the festival day 
of the Jews, was near at hand. When Jesus there- 
fore had lifted up his eyes, and seen that a very great 
multitude cometh to him, he said to PhiJip : Whence 
shall we buy bread, that these may eat 1 And this he 
said to try him, for he himself knew what he would 
do. Philip answered him : Two hundred pennyworth 
of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one may 
take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, the bro- 
ther of Simon Peter, saith to him : There is a boy 
here that hath five barley-loaves, and two fishes ; but 
what are they among so many ] Then Jesus said : 
Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass 
in the place. The men therefore sat down, in num- 
ber about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves : 
and when he had given thanks, he distributed to them 
that were sat down. In like manner also of the fishes, 
as much as they would : and when they were filled, 
he said to his disciples : Gather up the fragments that 
remain, lest they be lost. They gathered up there- 
fore, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of 
the five barley-loaves, which remained over and above 
to them that had eaten. Now these men, when they 
had seen what a miracle Jesus had done, said : This 
is of a truth the prophet that is to come into the world. 
Jesus therefore, when he knew that they would come 
to take him by force, and make him king, fled again 
into the mountain himself alone. 

13* 



150 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 



PASSION SUNDAY. 

The Prayer, 

"TTTE beseech thee, Almighty God ! mercifully 
V T look upon thy family : that by thy bounty, it 

may be governed in body, and, by thy preservation, 

be kept in mind : through, &c. 
Prayer for the Church, p. 130, or for the Pope, p. 138. 

The Gospel. John viii 46—59. 

T that time: Jesus said to the multitude of the 
Jews : Which of you shall convince me of 
sin | If I say the truth to you, why do you not be- 
lieve me ? He that is of God, heareth the words of 
God. Therefore you hear them not, because you are 
not of God. The Jews therefore answered and said 
to him : Do not we say well that thou art a Samaritan, 
and hast a devil ? Jesus answered : I have not a 
devil ; but I honor my Father, and you have dis- 
honored me. But I seek not my own glory: there is 
one that seeketh and judgeth. Amen, Amen, I say to 
you : If any man keep my word, he shall not see 
death for ever. The Jews therefore said : Now we 
know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and 
the prophets ; and thou sayest : If any man keep my 
word, he shall not taste death for ever. Art thou 
greater than our father Abraham, who is dead 1 And 
the prophets are dead. Whom dost thou make thy- 
self? Jesus answered : If I glorify myself, my glory 
is nothing. It is my Father that glorifieth me, of 
whom you say that he is your God ; and you have 
not known him, but I know him. And if I should 
say, that I know him not, I should be like to you, a 
liar. But I do know him, and do keep his word. 
Abraham your father rejoiced that he might see my 
day : he saw it, and was glad. The Jews then said 
to him : Thou art not, yet fifty years old, and hast thou 
seen Abraham 1 Jesus said to them : Amen, Amen, 




FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLYDAYS. 151 



I say to you, before Abraham was made, I am. They 
took up stones therefore to cast at him. But Jesus 
hid himself, and went out of the temple. 

PALM SUNDAY. 

The Prayer. 

ALMIGHTY and Eternal God ! who wouldst 
have our Saviour take flesh, and undergo the 
Cross, for man to imitate the example of his humility, 
grant, we beseech Thee, that we may both deserve 
the instruction of his patience, and the fellowship of 
his Resurrection : through the same, &c. 

The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to St. 
Matt, xxvi and xxvii 1 — 66. 

fhT that time: Jesus said to his disciples: You 
wl know that after two days shall be the pasch, 
and the Son of Man shall be delivered up to be cruci- 
fied. Then were gathered together the chief priests 
and ancients of the people into the court of the high 
priest, who was called Caiphas : and they consulted 
together, that by subtlety they might apprehend Jesus, 
and put him to death. But they said : Not on the 
festival day, lest perhaps there should be a tumult 
amongst the people. And when Jesus was in Beth- 
ania, in the house of Simon the leper, there came to 
him a woman having an alabaster-box of precious 
ointment, and poured it on his head as he was at 
table. And the disciples seeing it, had indignation, 
saying : To what purpose is this waste 1 For th|p 
might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. 
And Jesus knowing it, said to them: Why do you 
trouble this woman 1 for she has wrought a good work 
upon me. For the poor you have always with you, 
but me you have not always. For she, in pouring 
this ointment upon my body, hath done it for my 
burial. Amen, I say to you, wheresoever this gospel 



• 



152 COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 

shall be preached in the whole world, that also which 
she hath done, shall be told for a memory of her. 
Then went one of the twelve, who was called Judas 
Iscariot, to the chief priests, and said to them : What 
will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you 1 
But they appointed him thirty pieces of silver. And 
from thenceforth he sought an opportunity to betray 
him. And on the first day of the Azymes the dis- 
ciples came to Jesus saying : Where wilt thou that 
we prepare for thee to eat the pasch ? But Jesus 
said : Go ye into the city to a certain man, and say to 
him : The Master saith my time is near at hand, I 
will keep the pasch at thy house with my disciples. 
And the disciples did as Jesus appointed to them, and 
they prepared the pasch. Now when it was evening, 
he sat down with his twelve disciples. And whilst 
they were eating, he said : Amen, I say to you, that 
one of you is about to betray me. And they being 
very much troubled, began every one to say : Is it I, 
Lord ] But he answering said : He that dippeth his 
hand w r ith me in the dish, he shall betray me. The 
Son of Man indeed goeth, as it is written of him ; but 
wo to that man, by whom the Son of Man shall be 
betrayed. It were better for him, if that man had not 
been born. And Judas, that betrayed him, answering 
said: Is it I, Rabbi] He saith to him: Thou hast 
said it. And whilst they were at supper, Jesus took 
bread, and blessed, and broke ; and gave to his dis- 
ciples, and said : Take ye and eat : this is my body. 
And taking the chalice he gave thanks : and gave to 
them, saying : Drink ye all of this. For this is my 
blood of the New Testament which shall be shed for 
many for the remission of sins. And I say to you, I 
will not drink from henceforth of this fruit of the vine, 
until that day when I shall drinK it new with you in 
the kingdom of my Father. And a hymn being said, 
they went out into mount Olivet. Then Jesus said to 
them : All you shall be scandalized in me this night. 



FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLYDAYS. 



153 



For it is written : " I will strike the shepherd, and the 
sheep of the flock shall be dispersed." But after I shall 
be risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. 
And Peter answering, said to him: Although all shall 
be scandalized in thee, I will never be scandalized. 
Jesus said to him : Amen, I say to thee, that in this 
night, before the cock crow, thou wilt deny me thrice. 
Peter saith to him ; Yea, though I should die with 
thee, I will not deny thee. And in like manner said 
all the disciples. Then Jesus came with them into a 
country place which is called Gethsemani; and he 
said to his disciples : Sit you here, till I go yonder, 
and pray. And taking with him Peter and the two 
sons of Zebedee, he began to grow sorrowful and 
to be sad. Then he saith to them : My soul is 
sorrowful even unto death : Stay you here and 
watch with me. And going a little further he fell 
upon his face, praying, and saying: My Father, if it 
be possible, let this chalice pass from me. Never- 
theless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he 
cometh to his disciples, and findeth them asleep, and 
he saith to Peter : What 1 Could you not watch one 
hour with me ; Watch ye, and pray that ye enter not 
into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the 
flesh is weak. Again the second time he went, and 
prayed, saying : My Father, if this chalice may not 
pass away, but I must drink it, thy will be done. 
And he cometh again, and findeth them sleeping : for 
their eyes were heavy. And leaving them, he went 
again ; and he prayed the third time, saying the self- 
same words. Then he cometh to his disciples, and 
saith to them : Sleep ye now, and take your rest : be- 
hold the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man shall be 
betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go : 
behold he is at hand that will betray me. As he yet 
spoke, behold Judas, one of the twelve, came, and 
with him a great multitude with swords and clubs, 
sent from the chief priests and the ancients of the 



154 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 



people. And he that had betrayed him, gave them a 
sign, saying : Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he, 
hold him fast. And forthwith coming to Jesus, he 
said : Hail, Rabbi. And he kissed him. And Jesus 
said to him : Friend, whereto art thou come ] Then 
they came up and laid hands on Jesus, and held him. 
And behold one of them that were with Jesus, stretch- 
ing forth his hand, drew out his sword; and striking 
the servant of the high-priest, cut off his ear. Then 
Jesus said to him : Put up again thy sword into its 
place ; for all that take the sword shall perish with 
the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot ask my 
Father, and he w r ill give me presently more than 
twelve legions of angels 1 How then shall the Scrip- 
tures be fulfilled, that so it must be done? In that 
same hour Jesus said to the multitude : You are come 
out as it were to a robber, with swords and clubs, to 
apprehend me. I sat daily with you teaching in the 
temple, and you laid not hands on me. Now all this 
was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be 
fulfilled. Then the disciples all leaving him, fled. 
But they, holding Jesus, led him to Caiphas the high- 
priest, w T here the scribes and the ancients w T ere as- 
sembled. And Peter followed him afar off, even to 
the court of the high-priest ; and going in, he sat with 
the servants, that he might see the end. And the 
chief priests and the w T hole council sought false wit- 
ness against Jesus, that they might put him to death ; 
and they found not, whereas many false witnesses had 
come in. And, last of all, there came two false wit- 
nesses ; and they said : This man said : I am able to 
destroy the temple of God, and after three days to re- 
build it. And the high-priest rising up, said to him : 
Answerest thou nothing to the things which these 
witness against thee 1 But Jesus held his peace. 
And the high-priest said to him, I adjure thee by the 
living God, that thou tell us if thou be the Christ the 
Son of God. Jesus saith to him : Thou hast said it. 



FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLYDAYS. 155 



Nevertheless I say to you, hereafter you shall see the 
Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the power of 
God, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the 
high-priest rent his garments, saying : He hath blas- 
phemed, what further need have we of witnesses? 
Behold, now you have heard the blasphemy : what 
think you 1 But they answering, said : He is guilty 
of death. Then did they spit in his face, and bufTet 
him, and others struck his face with the palms of 
their hands, saying: Prophesy unto us, Christ; 
who is he that struck thee 1 But Peter sat without 
in the court : and there came to him a servant-maid, 
saying: Thou also wast with Jesus the Galilean. 
But he denied before them all, saying : I know not 
what thou sayest. And as he went out of the gate, 
another maid saw him, and she saith to them that 
were there : This man also was with Jesus of Naza- 
reth. And again he denied with an oath : That I 
know not the man. And after a little while they came 
that stood by, and said to Peter : Surely thou also art 
one of them, for even thy speech doth discover thee. 
Then he began to curse and swear that he knew not 
the man. And immediately the cock crew. And 
Peter remembered the words of Jesus which he had 
said : Before the cock crow, thou wilt deny me thrice. 
And going forth, he wept bitterly. And when morn- 
ing was come, all the chief priests and ancients of the 
people took counsel against Jesus, that they might 
put him to death. And they brought him bound, and 
delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. Then 
Judas, who betrayed him, seeing that he was con- 
demned, repenting himself, brought back the thirty 
pieces of silver to the chief priests and ancients, say- 
ing : I have sinned, in betraying innocent blood. But 
they said : What is that to us ] look thou to it. And 
casting down the pieces of silver in the temple, he 
departed and went and hanged himself with a halter. 
But the chief priests having taken the pieces of silver, 



156 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 



said : It is not lawful to put them into the corbona 
because it is the price of blood. And after they had 
consulted together, they bought with them the potter's 
field, to be a burying-place for strangers. For this 
cause that field was called Haceldama, that is, the 
field of blood, even to this day. Then was fulfilled 
that which was spoken by Jeremias the prophet, say- 
ing : " And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the 
price of him that was prized, whom they prized of the 
children of Israel. And they gave them unto the pot- 
ter's field, as the Lord appointed to me." And Jesus 
stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, 
saying : Art thou the king of the Jews ] Jesus saith 
to him: Thou sayest it. And when he was accused 
by the chief priests and ancients, he answered nothing. 
Then Pilate saith to him : Dost thou not hear how 
great testimonies they allege against thee 1 And he 
answered him to never a word ; so that the governor 
wondered exceedingly. Now upon the solemn day 
the governor was accustomed to release to the people 
one prisoner, whom they would. And he had then a 
notorious prisoner, that was called Barabbas. They 
therefore being gathered together, Pilate said : Whom 
will you that I release to you, Barabbas, or Jesus that 
is called Christ 1 For he knew that for envy they had 
delivered him. And as he was sitting in the place 
of Judgment, his wife sent to him, saying: Have thou 
nothing to do with that just man. For I have suffered 
many things this day in a dream because of him. But 
the chief priests and ancients persuaded the people, 
that they should ask Barabbas, and make Jesus away. 
And the governor answering said to them : Whether 
will you of the two to be released unto you? But 
they said, Barabbas. Pilate saith to them : What 
shall I do then with Jesus that is called Christ] They 
say all : Let him be crucified. The governor said to 
them : Why, what evil hath he done 1 But they cried 
out the more, saying: Let him be crucified. And 



FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLYDAYS. 157 

Pilate seeing that he prevailed nothing, but that rather 
a tumult was made; taking water, he washed his 
hands before the people, saying : I am innocent of the 
blood of this just man : look you to it. And the 
whole people, answering, said : His blood be upon 
us, and upon our children. Then he released to them 
Barabbas : and having scourged Jesus, delivered him 
unto them to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the 
governor, taking Jesus into the hall, gathered together 
unto him the whole band : and stripping him, they 
put a scarlet cloak about him. And plaiting a crown of 
thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right 
hand. And bowing the knee before Mm, they mocked 
him, saying: Hail, king of the Jews! And spitting upon 
him, they took the reed, and struck his head. And after 
they had mocked him, they took off the cloak from him, 
and put on his own garments, and led him away to 
crucify him. And going out, they met a man of 
Cyrene, named Simon : him tliey forced to take up 
the cross. And they came to the place that is called 
Golgotha, which is the place of Calvary. And they 
gave him wine to drink, mingled with gall. And 
when he had tasted, he would not drink. And after 
they had crucified him, they divided his garments, 
casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was 
spoken by the prophet, saying: "They divided my 
garments among them ; and upon my vesture they cast 
lots :" and they sat and watched him. And they put 
over his head his cause written : THIS IS JESUS, 
THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then were cruci- 
fied with him two thieves: one on the right hand, and 
one on the left. And they that passed by, blasphemed 
him, wagging their heads, and saying : Van ! thou 
that destroyest the temple of God, and in three days 
dost rebuild it, save thy own self: if thou be the 
Son of God, come down from the cross. In like 
manner also the chief priests, with the scribes and 
ancients, mocking, said: He saved others; himself 

14 



158 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 



he cannot save : if he be the king of Israel, let hirn 
now come down from the cross, and we will believe 
him. He trusted in God : let him now deliver him, 
if he will have him : for he said : I am the Son of 
God. And the self-same thing the thieves also that 
were crucified with him, reproached him with. Now 
from the sixth hour there was darkness over the whole 
earth, until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hoar, 
Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying: Eli, Eli, 
lamma sabacthani \ that is, M My God, my God, why- 
hast thou forsaken me]" And some that stood there 
and heard, said : This man calleth Elias. And im- 
mediately one of them, running, took a spoige, and 
filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave 
him to drink. And the others said : Let us see whe- 
ther Elias will come and deliver him. And Jesus, 
again crying with aloud voice, YIELDED UP THE 
GHOST.* And behold, the veil of the temple was 
rent in two from the top even to the bottom, and the 
earth quaked, and the rocks were rent. And the graves 
were opened ; and many bodies of the saints that had 
slept arose; and coming out of the tombs after his 
resurrection, came into the holy city, and appeared to 
many. Now the centurion, and they that were with 
him watching Jesus, having seen the earthquake and 
the things that were done, were sore afraid, saying : 
Indeed this was the Son of God. And there were 
there many women afar off who had followed Jesus 
from Galilee, ministering unto him : among whom 
was Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of James 
and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. 
And when it was evening, there came a certain rich 
man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who also himself 
was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked 
the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded that the 
body should be delivered. And Joseph, taking the 

* Here all kneel and meditate for a short time, on the 
death of our adorable Saviour. 



FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLYDAYS. 159 



body, wrapped it up in a clean linen cloth, and laid 
it in his own new monument, which he had hewn out 
of a rock. And he rolled a great stone to the door of 
the monument, and went his way. And there was 
there Mary Magdalen, and the other Mary sitting over 
against the sepulchre. 

[Here the Priest goes to the middle of the altar and 
says, "Cleanse my heart," &c. Having said which, he 
resumes the Gospel as follows.] 

And the next day, which followed the day of prepara- 
tion, the chief priests and the Pharisees came together 
to Pilate, saying : Sir, we have remembered, that that 
seducer said, while he was yet alive : After three days 
I will rise again. Command therefore the sepulchre 
to be guarded until the third day : lest perhaps his 
disciples come and steal him away, and say to the 
people : He is risen from the dead : and the last error 
shall be worse than the first. Pilate said to them : 
You have a guard ; go, guard it as you know. And 
they departing, made the sepulchre sure, sealing the 
stone, and setting guards. 

EASTER SUNDAY. 
The Prayer. 

OGOD ! who this day didst open to us the approach 
to eternity by thy only Son, victorious over death: 
prosper our vows by thy grace, which thou dost anti- 
cipate by thy inspiration : through the same, &c. 

The Gospel Mark xvi 1 — 7. 

fhT that time.' Mary Magdalen, and Mary the 
wl mother of James and Salome, brought sweet 
spices, that coming they might anoint Jesus. And 
very early in the morning, the first day of the week, 
they came to the sepulchre, the sun being now risen. 
And they said one to another : Who shall roll us back 
the stone from the door of the sepulchre ] And look- 
ing, they saw the stone rolled back : for it was very 



160 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 



great. And entering- into the sepulchre, they saw a 
young- man sitting on the right side, clothed with a 
white robe ; and they were astonished. Who saith to 
them : Be not affrighted : you seek Jesus of Naza- 
reth, who was crucified : he is risen, he is not here ; 
behold the place where they laid him. But go, tell 
his disciples and Peter, that he goeth before you into 
Galilee : there you shall see him, as he told you. 

FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EASTER, COMMONLY CALLED 
LOW SUNDAY.* 
The Prayer. 

GRANT, we beseech thee, O Almighty God! that 
we who have performed the paschal solemni- 
ties, may by thy bounty preserve them in our life and 
conduct: through, &c. 

The Gospel John xx 19—31. 
T that time: When it was late that same day, 
being the first day of the week, and the doors 
were shut, where the disciples were gathered together 
for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the 
midst, and said to them : Peace be to you. And when 
he had said this, he showed them his hands and his 
side. The disciples therefore were glad when they 
saw the Lord. He said therefore to them again : 
Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent me, I also 
send you. When he had said this, he breathed on 
them"; and he said to them: Receive ye the Holy 
Ghost : whose sins ye shall forgive, they are forgiven 
them ; and whose sins you shall retain, they are re- 
tained. Now Thomas, one of the twelve, who is 
called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 
The other "disciples therefore said to him : We have 
seen the Lord. But he said to them : Except I shall 

* That is, Last Sunday ; it being the last at that season, 
on which marriages are forbidden to be solemnized. 




FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLYDAYS. 161 



see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my 
finger into the place of the nails, and put my hands 
into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days, 
again his disciples were within, and Thomas with 
them. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood 
in the midst, and said : Peace be to you. Then he said 
to Thomas : Put in thy ringer hither, and see my hands, 
and bring hither thy hand, and put it into my side, and 
be not faithless, but believing. Thomas answered, and 
said to him : My Lord and my God ! Jesus saith to 
him : Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast 
believed : blessed are they that have not seen, and have 
believed. Many other signs also did Jesus in the 
sight of his disciples, which are not written in this 
book. But these are written, that you may believe 
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God : and that be- 
lieving you may have life in his name. 

SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. 

The Prayer. 

OGOD ! who, by the humility of thy Son, hast 
raised up a fallen world, grant to thy faithful 
everlasting joy ; that those whom thou hast delivered 
from the evils of eternal death, thou mayest make to 
enjoy everlasting happiness : through the same, &c. 

The following prayer, with that for the Church, p. 130, 
or for the Pope, p. 138, is added on the Sundays after Easter. 

GRANT, Lord God ! we beseech thee, that we thy 
servants may enjoy perpetual health of mind and 
body, and that by the glorious intercession of the ever 
blessed Virgin Mary, we maybe delivered from present 
sorrows, and possess everlasting joy : through, &c. 

The Gospel John x 11—16. 
T that time Jesus said to the Pharisees : I am the 
good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life 
for his sheep. But the hireling, and he that is not the 
shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf 

14* 




162 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 



coming, and leaveth the sheep, and flieth, and the wolf 
catcheth, and scattereth the sheep : and the hireling 
flieth because he is a hireling, and he hath no care for 
the sheep. I am the good shepherd ; and I know mine, 
and mine know me. As the Father knoweth me, and 
I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my 
sheep. And other sheep I have, that are not of this 
fold : them also I must bring, and they shall heaT my 
voice, and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. 

THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. 

The Prayer. 

OGOD ! who dost show to those that go astray 
the light of thy truth, that they may return to 
the way of justice : grant to all who are numbered in 
the profession of Christianity, to reject those things 
which are inimical to this name, and to pursue those 
which are becoming: through, &c. 

The Gospel John xvi 16—22. 
T that time : Jesus said to his disciples : A little 
while, and now you shall not see me ; and again a 
little while, and you shall see me : because I go to the 
Father. Then some of his disciples said one to another : 
What is this that he saith to us : A little while, and you 
shall not see me ; and again a little while, and you 
shall see me; and because I go to the Father] They 
said therefore, What is this that he saith : A little 
while : we know not what he speaketh. And Jesus 
knew that they had a mind to ask him; and he said to 
them : Of this do you inquire among yourselves, be- 
cause I said : A little while and you shall not see me ; 
and again a little while, and you shall see me ] Amen, 
amen, I say to you, that you shall lament and weep, 
but the world shall rejoice : and you shall be made 
sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A 
woman, when she is in labor, hath sorrow, because her 
hour is come : but when she hath brought forth the child, 
she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a 




FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLYDAYS. 163 



man is born into the world, So also you now indeed 
have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart 
shall rejoice ; and your joy no man shall take from you. 

FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. 
The Prayer. 

OGOD ! who makestthe minds of the faithful to be 
of one wlu, grant to thy people to love what thou 
command est, to desire what thou promisest; that among 
the changes of this world, our hearts may be fixed on 
that place, where true joys reside: through, &c. 

The Gospel. John xvi 5—14. 

T thai time: Jesus said to his disciples : I go to 
him that sent me ; and none of you asketh me : 
Whither goest thou] But because I have spoken 
these things to you, sorrow hath filled your heart. But 
I tell you the truth ; it is expedient to you that I go : 
for if I go not, the Paraclete will not come to you ; but 
if I go, I will send him to you. And when he is come, 
he will convince the world of sin, and of justice, and 
of judgment. Of sin: because they believed not in 
me. And of justice : because I go to the Father ; and 
you shall see me no longer. And of judgment : be- 
cause the prince of this world is already judged. I 
have yet many things to say to you ; but you cannot 
bear them now. But when he, the Spirit of truth, is 
come, he will teach you all truth. For he shall not 
speak of himself ; but what things soever he shall 
hear, he shall speak : and the things that are to come, 
he shall show you. He shall glorify me ; because he 
shall receive of mine, and shall show it you. 

FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. 
The Prayer. 

OGOD ! from whom all good things proceed, grant 
to thy supplicants that by thy inspiration we may 
think those things that are right, and by thy direction 
perform them : through, &c. 




164 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 



The Gospel. John xvi 23—30. 
T that time .• Jesus said to his disciples : Amen, 
amen, I say to you : If you aSk the Father any 
thing in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto you 
have not asked any thing in my name. Ask, and you 
shall receive ; that your joy may be full. These 
things I have spoken to you in proverbs. The hour 
cometh when I will no more speak to you in pro- 
verbs, but will show you plainly of the Father. In 
that day you shall ask in my name : and I say not to 
you, that I will ask the Father for you. For the Fa- 
ther himself loveth you, because you have loved me, 
and have believed that I came out from God. I came 
forth from the Father, and am come into the world : 
again I leave the world, and go to the Father. His 
disciples say to him : Behold, now thou speakest 
plainly, and speakest no proverb. Now we know 
that thou knowest all things, and thou needest not 
that any man should ask thee. By this we believe 
that thou earnest forth from God. 

ASCENSION DAY. 

The Prayer. 

GRANT, we beseech thee, Almighty God ! that 
we who believe the only begotten Son, our Re- 
deemer, ascended this day into heaven, may ourselves 
also in mind dwell in heavenly things : through, &c. 

The Gospel. Mark xvi 14—20. 

T that time : Jesus appeared to the eleven as they 
were at table : and he upbraided them with 
their incredulity and hardness of heart, because they 
did not believe them who had seen him after he was 
risen again. And he said to them : Go ye into the 
whole world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. 
He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved : 
but he that believeth not, shall be condemned. And 
these signs shall follow them that believe: In my 





FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLYDAYS. 165 



name they shall cast out devils ; they shall speak, 
with new tongues ; they shall take up serpents ; and 
if they shall drink any deadly thing-, it shall not hurt 
them : they shall lay their hands upon the sick, and 
they shall recover. And the Lord Jesus, after he had 
spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sit- 
teth on the right hand of God. But they going, 
preached every where ; the Lord working withal, and 
confirming the word with signs that followed. 

SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF THE ASCENSION. 

The Prayer. 

ALMIGHTY and Everlasting God ! grant us ever 
to entertain a devout affection towards thee, and 
to serve thy Majesty with a sincere heart : through, &c. 
Second Prayer is of the Ascension, p. 164. 
The Gospel. John xv 26 ; xvi 1 — 4. 
T that time : Jesus said to his disciples : When 
the Paraclete cometh, whom I will send you 
from the Father, the Spirit of Truth, who proceedeth 
from the Father, he shall give testimony of me ; and 
you shall give testimony, because you are with me 
from the beginning. These things have I spoken to 
you, that you may not be scandalized. They will put 
you out of the synagogues : yea, the hour cometh, that 
whosoever killeth you, will think that he doth a ser- 
vice to God. And these things will they do to you, 
because they have not known the Father, nor me. 
But these things I have told you ; that, when the hour 
shall come, you may remember that I told you of them. 

FEAST OF PENTECOST, COMMONLY CALLED WHIT- 
SUNDAY** 

The Prayer. 

OGOD ! who on this day didst instruct the hearts 
of the Faithful by the light of the Holy Ghost ; 

* Pentecost in Greek signifies ji/ty, this Sunday being fifty 
days after the Resurrection. It is also called Whitsunday, 




166 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 



grant that we may be truly wise in the same spirit, 
and ever rejoice in his consolation : through our Lord, 
&c, in the unity of the same, &c. 

The Gospel John xiv 23—31. 

T that time : Jesus said to his disciples : If any 
one love me, he will keep my word, and my 
Father will love him, and we will come to him, and 
will make our abode with him : he' that loveth me not, 
keepeth not my words. And the word which you 
have heard, is not mine : but the Father's who sent 
me. These things have I spoken to you, abiding with 
you. But the Paraclete, the Holy Ghost, whom the 
Father will send in my name, he will teach you all 
things, and bring all things to your mind, whatsoever 
I shall have said to you. Peace I leave with you, my 
peace I give to you : not as the world giveth, do I 
give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor 
let it be afraid. You have heard that I have said to 
you : I go away and I come again to you. If you 
loved me, you would indeed be glad, because I go to 
the Father: for the Father is greater than L And 
now I have told you before it come to pass : that when 
it shall come to pass, you may believe. I will not 
now speak many things with you. For the prince 
of this world cometh, and in me he hath not any thing. 
But that the world may know that I love the Father : 
and as the Father hath given me commandment, so 
do I. 

TRINITY SUNDAY. 

The Prayer. 

ALMIGHTY and Eternal God! who hast granted 
thy servants to acknowledge the glory of the 
eternal Trinity in the confession of the true Faith, and 

or White Sunday, from the Catechumens, who were clothed 
in white, and admitted on the eve of this Feast, to the Sa- 
crament of Baptism. 




FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLYDAYS. 167 



to adore the unity in the power of thy Majesty ; we 
beseech thee, that by firmness in the same faith, we 
may be ever protected from all adversities, through 
our Lord, &c. 

The Gospel, Matt, xxviii 18—20. 

[IT that. time : Jesus said to his disciples : All power 
wl is given to me in heaven and in earth. Going, 
therefore, teach all nations : Baptizing them in the 

NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON, AND OF THE 

Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things 
whatsoever I have commanded you : and behold I am 
with you all days, even to the consummation of the 
world. 

FEAST OF CORPUS CHRISTI. 

The Prayer. ^ 

OGOD ! who in this wonderful sacrament has left 
us a memorial of thy passion; grant us, we be- 
seech thee, so to reverence the sacred mysteries of thy 
body and blood, that we may ever perceive within us 
the fruit of thy redemption : who livest, &c. 

The Gospel John vi 56—59. 
f\T that time: Jesus said to the multitude of the 
fcZZ Jews: My flesh is meat indeed : and my blood is 
drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh 
my blood, abideth in me. and I in him. As the liv- 
ing Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father ; so 
he that eateth me, the same also shall live by me. 
This is the bread that came down from heaven. Not 
as your fathers did eat manna and are dead. He that 
eateth this bread shall live for ever. 

SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST, 

The Prayer. 

GRANT, Lord ! that we may have a perpetual fear 
and love of thy holy name, for thou never ceasest 
to direct and govern by thy grace those whom thou 
instructest in the solidity of thy love : through, &c. 



168 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 



The Gospel St. Luke xiv 16—24. 
fjk T that time : Jesus spoke this parable to the Phari- 
wl sees.- A certain man made a great supper, and in- 
vited many, and he sent his servant at the hour of 
supper to say to them that were invited, that they 
should come, for now all things are ready. And they 
began all at once to make excuse. The first said to 
him : I have bought a farm, and must needs go out 
and see it ; I pray thee, hold me excused. And an- 
other said : I have bought five yokes of oxen, and I 
go to try them ; I pray thee hold me excused. And 
another said : I have married a wife, and therefore I 
cannot come. And the servant returning 1 told these 
things to his lord. Then the master of the house, 
being angty, said to his servant : Go out quickly into 
the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither 
the poor, and the feeble, and the blind, and the lame. 
And the servant said : Lord, it is done as thou hast 
commanded, and yet there is room. And the Lord said 
to the servant : Go out into the highways and hedges ; 
and compel them to come in, that my house may be 
filled. But I say unto you, that none of those men that 
were invited shall taste of my supper. 

THIRD SUNDAY AITER PENTECOST. 

The Prayer. 

OGOD ! the protector of those who hope in thee, 
without whom nothing is valid, nothing is holy, 
multiply thy mercy upon us, that under thy rule and 
guidance we may so pass through temporal goods as 
not to forfeit those that are eternal : through, &c. 

The prayer Defend, p. 140, and a third one, ad lib., are 
added on the Sundays after Pentecost. 

The Gospel Luke xv 1 — 10. 

T that time : The publicans and sinners drew near 
unto him to hear him. And the Pharisees and 




FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLYDAYS. 



169 



Scribes murmured, saying: This man receiveth sin- 
ners and eateth with them. And he spoke to them 
this parable, saying: What man of you that hath a 
hundred sheep, and if he shall lose one of them, doth 
he not leave the ninety-nine in the desert, and go after 
that which was lost until he find it ; and when he 
hath found it, lay it upon his shoulders rejoicing, and, 
coming home, call together his friends and neighbors, 
saying to them : Rejoice with me, because I have 
found my sheep that was lost 1 I say l!o you, that 
even so, there shall be joy in heaven upon one sinner 
that doth penance, more than upon ninety-nine just who 
need not penance. Or what woman having ten groats, 
if she lose one groat, doth not light a candle, and 
sweep the house, and seek diligently until she find it, 
and when she hath found it, call together her friends 
and neighbors, saying : Rejoice with me, because I 
have found the groat which I had lost 1 So I say to 
you, there shall be joy before the angels of God upon 
one sinner doing penance. 

FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. 

The Prayer, 

GRANT, we beseech thee, Lord ! that the course 
of the world by thy direction may in our regard 
be peaceful; and that thy church may rejoice in tran- 
quil devotion : through, &c. 

The Gospel Luke v 1—11. 
PkT that time: It came to pass, that when the mul- 
e/1 titude pressed upon him to hear the word of God, 
he stood by the lake of Genesareth. And he saw 
• two ships standing by the lake ; but the fishermen 
were gone out of them and were washing their nets. 
And going up into one of the ships that was Simon's, 
he desired him to draw back a little from the land. 
And sitting he taught the multitude out of the ship. 
Now when he had ceased to speak, he said to Simon : 

15 



170 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 



Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for 
a draught. And Simon, answering, said to him : 
Master, we have labored all the night, and have taken 
nothing ; but at thy word I will let down the net. 
And when they had done this, they enclosed a very 
great multitude of fishes, and their net broke. And 
they beckoned to their partners that were in the other 
ship, that they should come and help them. And 
they came and filled both the ships, so that they were 
almost sinking. Which when Simon Peter saw, he 
fell down at Jesus's knees, saying: Depart from me, 
for I am a sinful man, Lord. For he was wholly 
astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught 
of the fishes which they had taken. And so were 
also James and John the sons of Zebedee, who were 
Simon's partners. And Jesus saith to Simon: Fear 
not ; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. And 
having brought their ships to land, leaving all things 
they followed him. 

FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. 
The Prayer. 

OGOD ! who hast prepared invisible good for 
them that love thee, infuse into our hearts the af- 
fection of thy love, that, loving thee in all things, we 
may obtain thy promises, which surpass every desire : 
through, &c. 

The Gospel. Matt, v 20—24. 
T that time > Jesus said to his disciples : Unless 
your justice exceed that of the Scribes and Phari- 
sees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 
You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou % 
shalt not kill. And whosoever shall kill, shall be in 
danger of the judgment. But I say to you, that who- 
soever is angry with his brother, shall be in danger 
of the judgment. And whosoever shall say to his 
brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council. And 




FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLYDAYS. 



171 



whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of 
hell-fire. Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the 
altar, and there shalt remember that thy brother hath 
any thing against thee, leave there thy gift before the 
altar, and go" first to be reconciled to thy brother, and 
then come and offer thy gift. 

SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. 

The Prayer, 

OGOD of Hosts ! to whom belongeth all that is 
best, infuse into our breasts the love of thy name: 
and grant within us an increase of devotion, that thou 
mayest nourish what is good, and by the pursuit of 
piety preserve what thou hast nourished: through, &c. 

The Gospel Mark viii 1—9. 

T that time.- When there was a great multitude 
with Jesus, and had nothing to eat ; calling his 
disciples together, he saith to them : I have compas- 
sion on the multitude; for behold they have now been 
with me three days, and have nothing to eat; and if I 
send them away tasting to their own home, they will 
faint in the way: for some of them came afar off. 
And his disciples answered him : From whence can 
any one fill them here with bread in the wilderness 1 
And he asked them : How many loaves have ye ] 
Who said : Seven. And he commanded the people 
to sit down on the ground ; and taking the seven 
loaves, giving thanks, he broke, and gave to his dis- 
ciples to set before them, and they set them before 
the people. And they had a few little fishes ; and he 
blessed them, and commanded them to be set before 
them. And they did eat, and were filled, and they 
took up that which was left of the fragments, seven 
baskets. And they that had eaten were about four 
thousand : and he sent them away. 




172 COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 

SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. 
The Prayer, 

OGOD ! whose providence is not deceived in its 
appointments ; we humbly beseech thee to re- 
move from us all that is hurtful, and grant all that 
will prove profitable : through, &c. 

The Gospel Matt, vii 15—21. 

T that time: Jesus said to his disciples: Beware 
of false prophets, who come to you in the cloth- 
ing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 
By their fruits you shall know them. Do men gather 
grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles ] Even so every 
good tree bringeth forth good fruit, and the evil tree 
bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring 
forth evil fruit, neither can an evil tree bring forth 
good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good 
fruit, shall be cut down, and shall be cast into the 
fire. Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them. 
Not every one that saith, Lord, Lord, shall enter into 
the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will 
of my Father who is in heaven, he shall enter into 
the kingdom of heaven. 

EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. 

The Prayer, 

GRANT us, in thy mercy, we beseech thee, O 
Lord ! at all times the spirit of thinking and 
doing what is right : that we who cannot exist with- 
out thee, may be able to live according to thee : 
through, &c. 

The Gospel. Luke xvi 1- — 9. 
T that time: Jesus spoke to his disciples this 
parable : There was a certain rich man who had 
a steward : and the same was accused unto him, that 
he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and 
said to him : How is it that I hear this of thee ! Give 





FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLYDAYS. 



173 



an account of thy stewardship : for now thou canst be 
steward no longer. And the steward said within him- 
self: What shall I do, because my lord taketh away 
from me the stewardship ] To dig I am not able ; to 
beg I am ashamed. I know what I will do, that when 
I shall be removed from the stewardship, they may 
receive me into their houses. Therefore calling together 
every one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first : 
How much dost thou owe my lord ? But he said : A 
hundred barrels of oil. And he said to him : Take 
thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then 
he said to another : And how much dost thou owe ! 
Who said : A hundred quarters of wheat. He said to 
him : Take thy bill, and write eighty. And the lord 
commended the unjust steward, forasmuch as he had 
done wisely : for the children of this world are wiser 
in their generation than the children of light. And I 
say to you : Make unto you friends of the mammon 
,of iniquity, that when you shall fail, they may receive 
you into everlasting dwellings. 

NINTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. 
The Prayer. 

LET the ears of thy mercy, Lord ! be open to the 
prayers of thy suppliants ; and that thou mayest 
grant what thy petitioners desire, make them ask those 
things which are pleasing to thee : through, &c. 

The Gospel. Luke xix 41 — 47. 
T that time: When he drew near Jerusalem, 
seeing the city, he wept over it, saying : If thou 
also hadst known, and that in this thy day, the things 
that are to thy peace : but now they are hidden from 
thy eyes. For the days shall come upon thee : and 
thy enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and com- 
pass thee round, and straiten thee on every side, and 
beat thee flat to the ground, and thy children who are 
in thee ; and they shall not leave in thee a stone upon 




174 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 



a stone : because thou hast not known the time of thy 
visitation. And entering into the temple, he began to 
cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought, 
saying to them : It is written : " My house is the 
house of prayer," but you have made it a den of 
thieves. And he was teaching daily in the temple. 

TENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. 



OGOD ! who dost particularly manifest thy om- 
nipotence by sparing and showing mercy, mul- 
tiply thy mercy towards us ; that running to the pos- 
session of what thou hast promised, thou mayestmake 
us partakers of heavenly goods : through, &c. 

The Gospel. Luke xviii 9 — 14. 

f\T that time .• Jesus spake this parable to some who 
t/Z trusted in themselves as just, and despised others. 
Two men went up into the temple to pray ; the one 
was a Pharisee, and the other a Publican. The Pha- 
risee, standing, prayed thus with himself : O God, I 
give thee thanks that I am not as the rest of men, ex- 
tortioners, unjust, adulterers, as also is this Publican. 
I fast twice in the week : I give tithes of all that I 
possess. And the Publican, standing afar off, would 
not so much as lift up his eyes towards heaven, but 
struck his breast, saying : God, be merciful to me a 
sinner. I say to you this man went down to his house 
justified rather than the other: because every one that 
exalteth himself shall be humbled ; and he that hum- 
bleth himself shall be exalted. 

ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. 
The Prayer. 



the abundance of thy mercy, dost exceed the de- 
sires and deserts of thy suppliants : pour forth thy 
mercy upon us, that thou mayest forgive what our 



The Prayer. 




Everlasting God ! who, by 



FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLYDAYS. 175 



conscience fears, and grant what our prayer does not 
presume to ask : through, &c. 

The Gospel Mark vii 31—37. 
[IT that time j Jesus going out of the coasts of Tyre, 
qlL he came by Sidon to the sea of Galilee, through 
the midst of the coast of Decapolis. And they bring 
to him one deaf and dumb ; and they besought him, 
that he would lay his hand upon him. And taking him 
from the multitude apart, he put his ringers into his 
ears, and spitting, he touched his tongue ; and looking 
up to heaven, he groaned and said to him : Ephpheta, 
that is, Be opened. And immediately his ears were 
opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and 
he spoke right. And he charged them that they should 
tell no man. But the more he charged them, so much 
the more a great deal they did publish it. And so 
much the more did they wonder, saying : He hath 
done all things well ; he hath made both the deaf to 
hear, and the dumb to speak. 

TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. 
The Prayer, 

ALMIGHTY and merciful God ! from whose 
gift it comes that thou art worthily and laudably 
served by thy faithful ; grant us, we beseech thee, to 
run without offence to the attainment of thy promises : 
through, &c. 

The Gospel Luke x 23—37. 
T thai time Jesus said to his disciples ; Blessed 
are the eyes that see the things which you see. 
For I say to you that many prophets and kings have 
desired to see the things that you see, and have not 
seen them ; and to hear the things that you hear, and 
have not heard them. And behold, a certain lawyer 
stood up, tempting him, and saying: Master, what 
must I do to possess eternal life ? But he said to 




176 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 



him : What is written in the law ] how read est thou 1 
He, answering, said : " Thou shalt love the Lord thy 
God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, 
and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind ; and 
thy neighbor as thyself." And he said to him : Thou 
hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. 
But he, willing to justify himself, said to Jesus : And 
who is my neighbor ] And Jesus, answering, said : 
A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, 
and fell among robbers, who had stripped him, and 
having wounded him, went away, leaving him half 
dead. And it chanced that a certain priest went down 
the same way ; and, seeing him, passed by. In like 
manner also a Levite, when he was near the place, 
and saw him, passed by. But a certain Samaritan, 
being on his journey, came near him ; and seeing him, 
was moved with compassion. And going up to him, 
bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine ; and 
setting him upon his own beast, brought him to an 
inn, and took care of him. And the next day he took 
out two pence, and gave to the host, and said : Take 
care of him ; and whatsoever thou shalt spend over 
and above, I at my return will repay thee. Which 
of these three, in thy opinion, was neighbor to him 
that fell among robbers ] But he said : He that 
showed mercy to him. And Jesus said to him : Go, 
and do thou in like manner. 

THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. 
The Prayer, 

ALMIGHTY and Eternal God ! grant to us an 
increase of Faith, Hope, and Charity: and that 
we may deserve to obtain what thou promisest, make 
us love what thou commandest: through, &c. 
The Gospel Luke xvii 11—19. 
T that time: As Jesus was going to Jerusalem, he 
passed through the midst of Samaria and Gali- 
lee. And as he entered into a certain town, there met 




FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLYDAYS. 177 

him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off ; and 
lifted up their voice, saying : Jesus, Master, have 
mercy on us. Whom when he saw, he said : Go, 
show yourselves to the priests. And it came to pass, 
that as they went, they were made clean. And one 
of them, when he saw that he was made clean, went 
back, with a loud voice glorifying God. And he 
fell on his face before his feet, giving thanks ; and 
this was a Samaritan. And Jesus, answering, said : 
Were not ten made clean, and where are the nine 1 
There is no one found to return and give glory to God, 
but this stranger. And he said to him : Arise, go thy 
way ; for thy faith hath made thee whole. 

FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. 

• The Prayer, 

PRESERVE thy Church, webeseech thee, Lord ! 
with perpetual mercy : and since without thee 
mortal man goes astray, may he be ever withheld by 
thy grace from what is hurtful, and directed to what 
is profitable : through, &c. 

The Gospel Matt, vi 24—33. 
T that time.- Jesus said to his disciples: No man 
can serve two masters. For either he will hate 
the one, and love the other : or he will sustain the one, 
and despise the other. You cannot serve God and 
mammon. Therefore I say to you, be not solicitous 
for your life, what you shall eat, nor for your body, 
what you shall put on. Is not the life more than the 
meat, and the body more than the raiment] Behold 
the birds of the air, for they neither sow, nor do they 
reap, nor gather into barns, and your heavenly Father 
feedeth them. Are not you of much more value than 
they ? and which of you, by taking thought, can add 
to his stature one cubit 1 And for raiment why are you 
solicitous 1 Consider the lilies of the field, how they 
grow : they labour not, neither do they spin. But I 
say to you, that not even Solomon in ail his glory was 




17S 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 



arrayed as one of these. And if the grass of the field, 
which is to-day, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, 
God doth so clothe : how much more you, ye of 
little faith ] Be not solicitous therefore, saying, what 
shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewith 
shall we he clothed ] For after all these things do 
the heathens seek. For your Father knoweth that you 
have need of all these things. Seek ye therefore first 
the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these 
things shall be added unto you. 

FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. 

The Prayer, 

MAY continued mercy purify and defend thy 
Church, O Lord ! and since without thee it 
cannot remain safe, may it ever be governed by thy 
bounty : through, &c. 

The Gospel Luke vii 11—16. 

T that time : Jesus went into a city called Nairn : 
and there went with him his disciples, and a 
great multitude. And when he came nigh to the city, 
behold a dead man was carried out, the only son of 
his mother; and she was a widow : and much people 
of the city were with her. And when the Lord saw 
her, he had compassion on her, and said to her: Weep 
not. And he came near and touched the bier. And 
they that carried it, stood still. And he said : Young 
man, I say to thee, arise. And he that was dead, sat 
up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his 
mother. And there came a fear on them all : and they 
glorified God, saying : A great prophet is risen up 
amongst us, and God hath visited his people. 

SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. 

The Praye-. 

MAY thy grace, Lord ! ever precede and follow 
us ; and make us ever intent upon good woiks : 
through, &c. 




FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLYDAYS. 179 



The Gospel. Luke xiv 1 — 11. 

flT that time: When Jesus went into the house of 
oJl one of the chief of the Pharisees on the Sabbath 
day to eat bread, they watched him. And behold 
there was a certain man before him that had the 
dropsy. And Jesus answering, spoke to the lawyers 
and Pharisees, saying : Is it lawful to heal on the 
Sabbath day 1 But they held their peace. But he 
taking him, healed him, and sent him away. And 
answering them, he said : Which of you shall have 
an ass or an ox fall into a pit ; and will not immedi- 
ately draw him out on the Sabbath day 1 And they 
could not answer him to these things. And he spoke 
a parable also to them that were invited, marking how 
they chose the first seats at the table, saying to them: 
When thou art invited to a wedding, sit not down in 
the first place, lest perhaps one more honorable than 
thou be invited by him ; and he that inviteth thee and 
him, come and say to thee, Give this man place : and 
then thou begin with shame to take the lowest place. 
But when thou art invited. £0 sit down in the lowest 
place : that when he who invited thee, cometh, he 
may say to thee, Friend, go up higher. Then shalt 
thou have glory before them that sit at table with 
thee : because every one that exalteth himself, shall 
be humbled : and lie that humbleth himself, shall be 
exalted. 

SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. 
The Prayer* 

GRANT to thy people, we beseech thee, Lord ! 
to avoid the contagion of the Devil, and with a 
pure mind to seek thee, the only God : through, &c. 

The Gospel Matt, xxii 35—46. 
T that time : The Pharisees came to Jesus: and 
one of them, a doctor of the law, asked him, 
tempting them : Master, which is the great command- 




180 COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 

ment of the law ! Jesus said to him : Thou shalt love 
the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy 
whole soul, and with thy whole mind. This is the 
greatest and the first commandment. And the second 
is like to this : Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy- 
self. On these two commandments dependeth the 
whole law and the prophets. And the Pharisees 
being gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying : 
What think you of Christ] whose son is he 1 They 
say to him : David's. He saith to them : How then 
doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The Lord 
said to my Lord, sit on my right hand until I make thy 
enemies thy foot-stool ? If David then call him Lord, 
how is he his son 1 And no man was able to answer 
him a word ; neither durst any man from that day 
forth ask him any more questions. 

EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. 
The Prayer. 
E beseech thee, Lord ! that the work of thy 
mercy may direct our hearts: For without thy 
grace, we cannot be pleasing to thee : through, &c. 

The Gospel Matt, ix 1—8. 

T that time : Jesus entering into a boat, he passed 
over the water and came into his own city. And 
behold they brought to him one sick of the palsy, 
lying on a bed. And Jesus seeing their faith, said to 
the man sick of the palsy : Be of good heart, son, thy 
sins are forgiven thee. And behold some of the 
Scribes said within themselves : He blasphemeth. 
And Jesus, seeing their thoughts, said : Why do you 
think evil in your hearts 1 Whether is it easier to 
say, Thy sins are forgiven thee : or to say, Arise and 
walk 1 But that you may know that the Son of Man 
hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then said he to 
the man sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, 
and go into thy house. And he arose and went into 





FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLY DAYS. 181 



his house. And the multitudes seeing it, feared, and 
glorified God that gave such power to men. 

NINETEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. 

The Prayer. 

ALMIGHTY and Merciful God! Graciously 
defend us from all that is hurtful, that free in 
mind and body, we may with ready minds perform 
all that belongs to thy service : through, &c. 

The Gospel Matt, xxii 2— -14. 

f\T that time: Jesus spoke to the Scribes and Pha- 
wl risees in a parable, saying: The kingdom of 
heaven is likened to a king, who made a marriage for 
his son. And he sent his servants, to call them that 
were invited to the marriage : and they would not 
come. Again he sent other servants, saying: Tell 
them that were invited : Behold, I have prepared my 
dinner; my beeves and fatlings are killed, and all 
things are ready : come ye to the marriage. But they 
neglected, and went their ways, one to his farm and 
another to his merchandise. And the rest laid hands 
on his servants, and having treated them contumeli- 
ously put them to death. But when the king had 
heard of it, he was angry, and sending his armies, he 
destroyed those murderers, and burnt their city. Then 
he saith to his servants : The marriage indeed is 
ready : but they that were invited, were not worthy. 
Go ye therefore into the highways ; and as many as 
3'ou shall find, call to the marriage. And his servants 
going forth into the ways, gathered together all they 
found, both bad and good : and the marriage was filled 
with guests. And the king went in to see the guests ; 
and he saw there a man who had not on a wedding 
garment. And he saith to him : Friend, how earnest 
thou in hither not having on a wedding garment? 
But he was silent. Then the king said to the waiters : 
Bind his hands and his feet, and cast him into the ex- 

16 



182 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 



terior darkness ; there shall be weeping and gnashing 
of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen. 

TWENTIETH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. 
The Prayer, 

BE appeased, Lord ! we beseech thee, and grant 
to thy Faithful pardon and peace ; that they may 
be both cleansed from all their ofTences, and serve 
thee with secure mind : through, &c. 

The Gospel John iv 46—53. 

T that time : There was a certain ruler whose son 
was sick at Capharnaum. He having heard that 
Jesus was come from Judea into Galilee, went to him 
and prayed him to come down and heal his son ; for 
he was at the point of death. Jesus therefore said to 
him : Unless you see signs and wonders, you believe 
not. The ruler saith to him : Lord, come down be- 
fore that my son die. Jesus saith to him : Go thy 
way, thy son liveth. The man believed the word 
which Jesus said to him, and went his way. And as 
he was going down, his servants met him; and they 
brought word, saying, that his son lived. He asked 
therefore of them the hour wherein he grew better. 
And they said to him : Yesterday at the seventh hour 
the fever left him. The father therefore knew that it 
was at the same hour that Jesus said to him : Thy 
son liveth ; and himself believed, and his whole 
house. 

TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. 

The Prayer, 

PRESERVE, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy family 
by continued mercy; that by thy protection they 
may be free from all adversity : through, &c. 




FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLYDAYS. 183 



The Gospel Matt, xviii 23—35. 

f\T that time: Jesus spoke to his disciples this pa- 
wl rable : The kingdom of heaven is likened to a 
king who would take an account of his servants. 
And when he had begun to take the account, one was 
brought to him that owed him ten thousand talents. 
And as he had not wherewith to pay it, his lord com- 
manded that he should be sold, and his wife and chil- 
dren, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 
But that servant, falling down, besought him, saying : 
Have patience with me and I will pay thee all. And 
the Lord of that servant, being moved with pity, let 
him go, and forgave him the debt. But when that 
servant was gone out, he found one of his fellow- 
servants that owed him a hundred pence ; and laying 
hold of him, he throttled him, saying: Pay what thou 
owest. And his fellow-servant, falling down, be- 
sought him, saying : Have patience with me, and I 
will pay thee all. And he would not ; but went and 
cast him into prison, till he paid the debt. Now his 
fellow-servants, seeing what was done, were very 
much grieved, and they came and told their lord all 
that was done. Then his lord called him, and said to 
him : Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all the 
debt, because thou besoughtest me: shouldst not thou 
then have had compassion also on thy fellow-servant, 
even as I had compassion on thee ? And his lord, 
being angry, delivered him to the torturers, until he 
paid all the debt. So also shall my heavenly Father 
do to you, if you forgive not every one his brother 
from your hearts. 

TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. 
The Prayer. 

OGOD! our refuge and strength: thou who art 
the author of mercy, attend to the pious prayers 



184 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 



of thy Church, and grant that what we ask in Faith 
we may effectually obtain : through, &c. 

The Gospel Matt, xxii 15—21. 
T that time: The Pharisees, going, consulted 
among themselves how to ensnare Jesus in his 
speech. And they send to him their disciples, with 
the Herodians, saying: Master, we know that thou 
art a true speaker, and teachest the way of God in 
truth, neither carest thou for any man : thou dost not 
regard the person of men. Tell us, therefore, what 
thou dost think: is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar 
or not ] But Jesus, knowing their wickedness, said : 
Why do ye tempt me, ye hypocrites ? Show me the 
coin of the tribute. And they offered him a penny. 
And Jesus saith to them : Whose image and inscrip- 
tion is this 1 They say to him, Caesar's. Then he 
saith to them : Render therefore to Caesar the things 
that are Caesar's ; and to God, the things that are 
God's. 

If there be but 23 Sundays after Pentecost, the Mass of 
the last Sunday after Pentecost (p. 185) is said. If there 
be 25 Sundays, on the 24th is said the Mass of the 6th 
Sunday after Epiphany: if there be 26, on the 24th is 
said the Mass of the 5th after Epiphany ; and on the 25th 
the Mass of the 6th after Epiphany. If there be 27, on 
the 24th is said the Mass of the 4th after Epiphany ; on 
the 25th that of the 5th ; and on the 26th that of the 6th 
after Epiphany. If there be 28, on the 24th is said the 
Mass of the 3d after Epiphany. So that the Mass of the 
24th Sunday after Pentecost shall be always the last. 

TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. 
The Prayer, 

ABSOLVE, we beseech thee, Lord ! the sins 
of thy people : that we may be delivered by thy 
goodness from the bonds of sin, which by our frailty 
we have contracted : through, &c. 




FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLIDAYS. 



1S5 



The Gospel Matt, ix 18—26. 
T that time : As Jesus was speaking to the multi- 
tude : Behold a certain ruler came up, and adored 
him, saying : Lord, my daughter is even now dead ; 
but come lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. 
And Jesus rising up followed him, and his disciples. 
And behold a woman who was troubled with an issue 
of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched 
the hem of his garment. For she said within herself : 
If I shall touch only his garment, I shall be healed. 
But Jesus, turning and seeing her, said : Be of good 
heart, daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole. And 
the woman was made whole from that hour. And 
when Jesus was come into the house of the ruler, and 
saw the minstrels and the multitude making a tumult, 
he said : Give place, for the girl is not dead, but 
sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. And when 
the multitude was put forth, he went in and took her 
by the hand. And the maid arose. And the fame 
hereof went abroad into all that country. 

TWENTY-FOURTH, OR LAST SUNDAY AFTER PEN- 
TECOST. 
The Prayer. 

STIR up the wills of thy Faithful, Lord ! we 
beseech thee : that more earnestly seeking after 
the fruit of good works, they may receive more abun- 
dant helps from thy mercy: through, &c. 

The Gospel Matt, xxiv 15—35. 
f\T that time: Jesus said to his disciples: When 
t/Z you shall see the abomination of desolation, which 
was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the 
holy place; he that readeth, let him understand: then 
they that are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains ; 
and he that is on the housetop, let him not come 
down to take any thing out of his house ; and he that 
is in the field, let him not go back to take his coat. 

16* 




186 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS 



And wo to them that are with child, and give suck in 
those days. But pray that your flight be not in the 
winter, or on the Sabbath. For there shall be then 
great tribulation, such as hath not been from the be- 
ginning of the world until now, neither shall be. 
And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh 
could be saved : but for the sake of the elect, those 
days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say 
to you : Lo, here is Christ, or there ; do not believe 
him: for there shall arise false Christs, and false pro- 
phets, and shall show great signs and wonders, inso- 
much as to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Be- 
hold, I have told it you beforehand. If therefore they 
shall say to you : Behold, he is in the desert; go ye 
not out: Behold, he is in the closets; believe it not. 
For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and ap- 
peareth even into the west ; so shall also the coming 
of the Son of Man be. Wheresoever the body shall 
be, there shall the eagles also be gathered together. 
And immediately after the tribulation of those days, 
the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not 
give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, 
and the powers of the heavens shall be moved ; and 
there shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in 
heaven ; and then shall all tribes of the earth mourn ; 
and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the 
clouds of heaven with much power and majesty. And 
he shall send his angels with a trumpet, and a great 
voice; and they shall gather together his elect from 
the four winds, from the farthest parts of the heavens 
to the utmost bounds of them. And from the fig-tree 
learn a parable: When the branch thereof is now 
tender, and the leaves come forth, you know that 
summer is nigh. So you also, when j r ou shall see all 
these things, know ye that it is nigh, even at the 
doors. Amen, I say to you, that this generation shall 
not pass, till these things be done. Heaven and earth 
shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 



FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLYDAYS. 



187 



25th MARCH. THE ANNUNCIATION, ETC. 
The Prayer, 

OGOD! who didst please, that thy word should take 
flesh, at the message of an Angel, in the womb 
of the Blessed Virgin Mary ; grant to thy suppliants, 
that we who believe her to be truly the Mother of 
God, may be helped by her intercession with thee : 
through, &c. 

The Gospel Luke i 26—38. 

3T that time : The angel Gabriel was sent from God 
into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, to a virgin 
espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the 
house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 
And the angel, being come in, said unto her: Hail 
Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee : blessed art 
thou among women. Who, having heard, was troubled 
at his saying, and thought with herself what manner 
of salutation this should be. And the angel said to 
her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with 
God. Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and 
shalt bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call his name 
JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the 
Son of the Most High, and the Lord God shall give 
unto him the throne of David his father : and he shall 
reign in the house of Jacob for ever, and of his king- 
dom there shall be no end. And Mary said to the 
angel: How shall this be done, because I know not 
man 1 And the angel, answering, said to her : The 
Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of 
the Most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore 
also the Holy which shall be born of thee, shall be 
called the Son of God. And behold thy cousin Eliz- 
abeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age ; 
and this is the sixth month with her that is called 
barren; because no word shall be impossible with 
God. And Mary said : Behold the handmaid of the 
Lord, be it done to me according to thy word. 



188 



COLLECTS AND GOSPELS. 



15th AUGUST. FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION". 
The Prayer, 

PARDON, we beseech thee, Lord ! the sins of thy 
servants : that we who are not able to please thee 
by our deeds, may be saved by the intercession of the 
mother of thy Son, our Lord, &c. 

The Gospel Luke x 38—42. 

T that time: Jesus entered into a certain town; and 
a certain woman named Martha received him into 
her house. And she had a sister called Mary. Who 
sitting- also at the Lord's feet, heard his word. But 
Martha was busy about much serving. Who stood 
and said: Lord, hast thou no care that my sister hath 
left me alone to serve ] Speak to her therefore, that 
she help me. And the Lord, answering", said to her : 
Martha, Martha, thou art careful, and art troubled 
about many things. But one thing is necessary. 
Mary hath chosen the best part, which shall not be 
taken from her. 

1st NOVEMBER. FEAST OF ALL SAINTS. 
The Prayer. 

ALMIGHTY and Everlasting God ! who hast 
granted us to venerate in one solemnity the merits 
of all thy Saints ; we beseech thee, that as our inter- 
cessors are multiplied, thou wouldst bestow upon us 
the desired abundance of thy mercy : through, &c. 

The Gospel Matt, v 1—12. 
PI T thai time : Jesus seeing the multitude, went up into 
wl a mountain, and when he was set down, his dis- 
ciples came unto him. And opening his mouth he 
taught them saying : Blessed are the poor in spirit, 
for their' s is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the 
meek : for they shall possess the land. Blessed are 
they that mourn : for they shall be comforted. Blessed 




OF THE SACRAMENTS IX GENERAL. 189 

are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for 
they shall have their fill. Blessed are the merciful : 
for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the clean 
of heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the 
peace makers : for they shall be called the children of 
God. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for jus- 
tice sake : for their's is the kingdom of heaven. 
Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and perse- 
cute you, and speak all that is evil against you, un- 
truly, for my sake; be glad and rejoice, for your re- 
ward is very great in heaven. 

— ♦ — 

OF THE SACRAMENTS IN GENERAL. 

BY Sacrament is meant an outward sign of inward grace, 
or a sacred and mysterious sign and ceremony or- 
dained by Christ to convey grace to our souls. 

The Sacraments may be compared to a fountain, and the 
soul to a vessel which one carries to the fountain for water. 
The fountain, abounding with water, fills every vessel that 
is applied to it, as far as it can hold; but the larger the 
vessel is, the greater quantity of water it will contain. So, 
the more the capacity of the soul (which capacity depends 
on its dispositions) is dilated, the greater portion of grace 
it receives from those heavenly fountains. The conditions, 
required in the receiver, are by no means productive of the 
efficacy of the Sacraments. Light and heat are the two 
objects in nature, to which the efficacy of the Sacraments 
is most analogous : fire is not considered destitute of a 
burning quality, because it cannot act on incombustible 
materials ; nor are the windows of a room supposed to be 
the causes of light, though necessary to insure its admis- 
sion. 

The Church has never instituted any Sacrament — this 
is a power which God has reserved to himself. He alone 
is the fountain of grace : he alone can appoint the channels 
by which it is conveyed to our souls. Therefore, since he 
has appointed those means which we call Sacraments, and 
no others, by those only can we obtain divine grace. 
Hence it follows, that no power on earth can change what 



190 OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. 



was ordained by Jesus Christ in the outward forms of the 
Sacraments, without destroying them entirely ; for, if any 
change be made in what he ordained, it is no longer the 
same form to which his grace was annexed, and conse- 
quently, ceases to be a Sacrament. The Divine Author 
of all the Sacraments, has attached to each one of them in 
particular a special grace, to enable the worthy receiver to 
perform the duties, and accomplish the ends, for which 
each particular Sacrament was intended. 

The passion of Christ is the rich and exhaustless source 
from which the grace of every Sacrament is derived ; for, 
each grace was purchased for us at the price of our Divine 
Redeemer's blood. 

There are seven Sacraments ; Baptism, Confirmation. 
Penance, Holy Eucharist, Extreme Unction, Holy Order, 
and Matrimony. Of these, the Sacraments of Penance 
and the Holy Eucharist are in frequent use among pious 
Christians : the former, to recover the spiritual life of grace 
that may have been lost, or to renew our fidelity in the 
service of God ; the latter, to unite ourselves with Jesus 
Christ, that we may imbibe his Spirit and lead a life con- 
formable to his holy example. 

♦ 

OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE.* 

THE Sacrament of the New Law, which has been called 
the Sacrament of Penance, was instituted by our Di- 
vine Redeemer on the day of his resurrection, and left by 
him in his Church — an ever-flowing channel through which 
his atoning blood was to be applied to our souls, to cleanse 
them from the guilt of all the sins committed after baptism. 
(St. John xx 19, 21, 22, 23.) 

The Sacrament of Penance was prefigured by the Con- 
fession of sins, which God, in the Old Law, commanded 
Moses to impose on the Israelites, his chosen people. 
(Num. v 5, 6, 7.) 

The leprosy was a figure of sin ; and the Levitical law 
obliged those infected with the leprosy to show themselves 
to the priests, and remain under their direction and inspec- 
tion until they were cleansed. (Levit. xiii xiv.) And our 
Lord, himself, bid the ten lepers go and show themselves 
to the priests. (St. Luke xvii 14.) 



OF THE SACRAMENT OF PEXAXCE. 191 



The Sacrament of Penance, consists of contrition, con- 
fession and satisfaction on the part of the penitent, and of 
absolution on the part of the priest empowered to absolve. 

Contrition is a sorrow for past sin. and a detestation of 
it. with a purpose of sinning no more. When our sorrow 
proceeds from a devoted and disinterested love of God. it 
is what is termed perfect contrition. When from a consi- 
deration of the baseness of sin, or of the danger to which 
it exposes our eternal salvation, it is termed imperfect con- 
trition, or attrition. Whether our contrition be, what is 
termed, perfect or imperfect, it must have six qualities. It 
must be supernatural : that is. it must proceed from super- 
natural motives through the grace of God. (2 Cor. vii 10.) 
Antiochus vainly implored pardon for his sins, because his 
sorrow for them, though very lively, was solely produced 
by the pangs, with which the Almighty punished him. 
Interior : it must proceed from the heart and the will ; 
because the heart and the will have offended. {Joel ii 12, 
13, and Deut. iv 29.) Sovereign : we must consider sin 
the greatest evil — hate, detest and be sorry for it as such. 
Universal : our sorrow must extend to each and every one 
of our sins, at least mortal, without exception; for, to 
cherish an attachment to any one of our grievous faults, 
even, though the sin should have procured for us all that 
our heart holds dearest on earth, would render us incapable 
of pardon. It must be accompanied with a firm purpose to 
avoid sin and every dangerous occasion of sin, resolving to 
suffer any thing rather than commit it again, trusting in 
our good God for grace to keep our resolution. The sixth 
and last quality of contrition, is a willingness and readiness 
of mind to do penance for past sins, in order to satisfy the 
divine justice. It is not necessary that our sorrow should 
be a sensible sorrow, such as we feel at the loss of a dear 
friend, or at some other temporal affliction. We cannot 
force ourselves to such a sensible sorrow, when we please ; 
and consequently, it is not the sorrow which our good God 
strictly requires. 

The true sorrow of repentance is thus described in the 
inspired volume : You shall remember your wicked v:ays, 
and your doings that were not good ; and your iniquities, 
and your wicked deeds shall displease you. Ezech. xxxvi 
31. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unjust man his 
thoughts, and let him return to the Lord, and he will have 
mercy on him ; and to our God, for he is bountiful to for- 



/ 



192 OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. 

give. Isaias lv 7. When thou shalt be touched with re- 
pentance of thy heart, .... and shalt return to him, and obey 
his commandments, .... the Lord thy God . . . . will have 
mercy on thee. Deut. xxx 1, 2, 3. The sorrow, which is 
according to God, worketh penance unto salvation, which is 
lasting. 2 Cor. vii 10. 

All this we may have without sighs and tears. We may 
test the sincerity of our contrition, by asking ourselves the 
following questions : My soul, are you thoroughly con- 
vinced that it is a dreadful evil to offend your God ? Are 
you really and sincerely sorry for your past folly in doing 
so ? Are you willing to receive, from the hand of your 
God, any affliction which he may be pleased to send you 
in punishment of your guilt ? Are you fully determined to 
use every means in your power, to avoid sin for the time 
to come, and to obey the will of your God in all things ? 
If, to these questions, our hearts sincerely answer in the 
affirmative, we may be confident that we have the true 
sorrow of repentance, though unaccompanied by either 
sighs or tears ; and if afterwards we act conformably to 
those resolutions, fly from our former failings, and use 
every necessary means of amendment, we have a most 
solid ground to hope that our contrition was sincere ; for 
the actual amendment of our lives is the grand touchstone 
of the sincerity of our repentance. But, we must be care- 
ful not to fall into the extreme, opposite to that, of which 
we have just been speaking ; that is, we must not content 
ourselves with repeating, in a careless manner, a few 
prayers and acts of contrition, or with beating our breast, 
and saying : Lord, have mercy on me. To avoid this sad 
delusion, which would be an error no less fatal than the 
former, we must, after having with sufficient care exa- 
mined our consciences, be very diligent in endeavoring to 
excite ourselves to a true sorrow for our sins ; because 
without this sorrow, the absolution of the priest would, 
instead of being of any benefit to our souls, make them 
more guilty before Him, who reads the heart, and who 
confirms in heaven the sentence of absolution, only when 
it is pronounced on an humble and a contrite heart. Whilst 
using the means for obtaining this true repentance, it 
would be advisable to ask our own hearts seriously and 
impartially from time to time, if we are really in earnest, 
and fully determined to correct all that displeased God in 
our past life. 



OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. 193 



By confession is meant, that after a moral diligence in 
endeavoring to know our faults, we accuse ourselves, with 
candor and sincerity, of, at least, all the mortal sins, or sins 
which we doubt to be such, that we can recollect, with the 
desire that our confessor, who must be a priest empowered 
to hear our confession, may see them as we see them, and, 
if it were possible, as God sees them. But, although we 
are strictly obliged to confess our mortal sins, yet it is the 
general practice of all who are truly desirous to secure 
their salvation, to confess also their venial sins. This de- 
sire should also prompt us to do the same, and to declare 
especially those venial sins, which we have reason to fear 
might expose us to the danger of relapsing into our former 
offences, or are a particular obstacle to our advancement 
in virtue, — such as give pain or disedification to our neigh- 
bor, — those against our holy vocation and our particular 
duties, — those with which our conscience most reproaches 
us, which we commit with greater deliberation or malice, 
and the custom or habit of which, not being prevented or 
amended, might gradually lead us to mortal sin, according 
to these words of the Scripture : He that contemnelh small 
things, shall fall by little and little. Eccles. xix 1. 

When we are actually conscious of only small sins and 
imperfections, we might advantageously practise the laud- 
able, though not obligatory custom, of confessing some 
more grievous faults of our past lives, in order to excite 
compunction in our hearts. 

We ought not to make up our confession with negatives, 
or general failings, such as, I have not loved God as much 
as I ought ; I have not prayed with as much devotion as I 
ought ; I have not been as patient as I ought. For, in these 
general accusations, there is no particular sin mentioned ; 
nor any thing by which the confessor can possibly under- 
stand the state of the penitent's conscience. We should 
therefore, instead of accusing ourselves, for instance, of 
being distracted in prayer, examine into the cause of our 
distractions ; whether they arise from voluntary negligence, 
or want of a sufficient preparation ; and having discovered 
where the fault is, accuse ourselves of it in particular, and 
so of every other sin of which we may be guilty. We must 
also be careful to explain the sinful motives of our sin ; 
and, when possible, mention how often we have fallen into 
each sin : when we cannot recollect the number of times 
we have fallen, we should endeavor to come as near as 

17 



194 OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. 



possible to the number. If we frequently fall into any 
particular sin, or 'the sin has become almost habitual, we 
should mention how long we have been in the habit of 
committing it. We must also explain such circumstances 
as are necessary to make our confessor understand the na- 
ture and quality of our sins. But we must be cautious not 
to take up the precious time of a confessor with any unne- 
cessary circumstance ; for our sins alone, or what is ne- 
cessarily connected with them, ought to be spoken of at 
confession. And we ought to be extremely cautious not 
to speak of any fault or failing of any third person, except 
when our conscience obliges us to do so, which can but 
very seldom be the case. Lastly, we must take into par- 
ticular consideration our situation in life, and the obliga- 
tions annexed to it, our vows and rules, and also the cha- 
racter of those against whom we have sinned, as well as 
the degree of deliberation with which we have sinned ; the 
scandal given, bad effects occasioned, &c. 

No general rule can be given respecting the time we 
should take to prepare ourselves for confession, as this de- 
pends on circumstances. Those who are faithful to the 
daily examen of conscience, particularly those who each 
night examine themselves on the sins, &c, committed that 
day, as if they were going to confession, and make a memo- 
randum of all they can recollect ; those who diligently en- 
deavor to avoid even small faults, and whose lives are much 
the same every day, will not require so much time as those 
who entirely omit or negligently perform their daily ex- 
amination of conscience, and who seldom or never endeavor 
to excite themselves to a sincere repentance. Those who 
approach this sacrament frequently, will not, in general, 
require so much time to prepare themselves, as those who 
approach but seldom. In fine, our examen of conscience, 
as well as the whole of our preparation for confession, 
should be made with serious attention, not with disqui- 
etude or uneasiness ; for God is a tender parent, who, 
although he forbids us to be careless, yet does not wish 
us to be unhappily anxious, in the performance of our duty. 

By satisfaction, is meant the sincerely and duly accept- 
ing and performing of the prayers and other good works, 
enjoined as penance for our sins, by the priest, to whom 
we have made our confession. Our acceptance of the 
penance should be humble : Obey your prelates, and be 
subject to them. For they watch as being to render an ac- 



OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. 195 



count of your souls, that they may do this with joy, and not 
with grief. Heb. xiii 17. However, should our penance 
appear impracticable, or such as may notably interfere with 
our other duties, we may respectfully represent our diffi- 
culties. It must be performed in a penitential spirit ; and 
when the time has not been specified by our confessor, it 
should be performed as soon as morally possible ; because, 
until it is performed, the Sacrament of Penance, although 
validly administered, has not received its full integrity. 
Should it happen, that we cannot perform our penance, we 
must at least have the desire of doing so ; since a desire to 
perform our penance, and satisfy the divine justice for our 
sins, is an essential disposition for receiving the grace of 
this sacrament. 

Except when remitted by acts of perfect charity, or in 
baptism, all sin must be expiated either in this life or the 
next.* 

The absolution we receive in the tribunal of confession, 
remits the sin, and the eternal punishment due to sin ; but 
it does not dispense with the temporal penalties which 
must be suffered either here or hereafter. We should, 
therefore, never forget that our sacramental penance, 
though perfectly sufficient for the integrity of the sacra- 
ment, is not always adequate to the satisfaction required 
of us by God — the satisfaction required of us by our God 
is proportioned to the number and enormity of the offences 
committed. This circumstance would urge many to em- 
brace a life of fervor and penance, if they had any idea of 
the rigorous penalties, which God adjudges to a single 



* I Paul . . . who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, 
and fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings of 
Christ, in my flesh for his body, which is the Church. Col. i 
24. There is no want in the sufferings of Christ in him- 
self as head ; but many sufferings are still wanting, or are 
still to come in his body the Church, and his members the 
faithful. Nor is this in the least derogatory to the merits 
of our Redeemer, and of this truth he himself has given 
us an indubitable proof: — one drop of the blood he shed 
for us in Gethsemani, would have been sufficient to re- 
deem innumerable worlds. Yet we know that he shed for 
us every drop — even to the very last that still lingered in 
his adorable body — and that he endured for us, sufferings, 
pain, and agony, beyond human conception. 



196 OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. 



transgression. In the inspired volume, there are many 
examples to prove, that in punishment of our sins, we must 
suffer such afflictions as God sends us ; and that to these 
afflictions we ought to add voluntary penances of our own. 
Adam after the guilt of his sin, and consequently, its eter- 
nal punishment had been forgiven, remained, however, 
subject to many miseries, and to death itself. The Israel- 
ites, after they had adored a golden calf, and frequently 
murmured against the Almighty, were pardoned by God 
at the prayer of Moses ; yet, in punishment of the same 
sins which he had forgiven, he condemned them to wander 
forty years in the desert, and never to enter the land of 
promise. 

David, the model of penitents, wept for his sins all his life. 
He fasted, wore hair-cloth and rose in the night to expiate 
his sins. (Psalms.) We have also a striking proof for vo- 
luntary, bodily chastisement, in the example, &c, of the 
Ninevites, (Jonas iii ;) and the necessity and efficacy of this 
voluntary punishment is unquestionably shown to us in 
Job xlii 6 ; Dan. ix 3 and x 3 ; Baruch ii 18. And in Jere- 
mias vi 26, we read: Gird thee with sackcloth, daughter 
of my people, and sprinkle thee with ashes: make thee 
mourning as for an only son, a bitter lamentation. We 
have similar proofs, equally incontestable, in St. Matt, xii 
41, Luke x 13. Of ourselves, we cannot say any prayer, 
perform any penitential work, or, in short, do any thing 
pleasing to God or available to salvation ; for the efficacy 
of every thought, word, or action, acceptable to God, and 
meritorious of eternal life, proceeds from the inexhaustible 
merits of our Divine Redeemer.* He, who is divine wis- 
dom and infinite goodness, has been pleased to annex as a 



* The satisfaction which we make for sin, says the 
Council of Trent, cannot be called ours, as if it were not 
through Jesics Christ; for we can do nothing of ourselves, 
(2 Cor. iii 5,) although we can do all things in him who 
strengtheneth us. (Phil, iv 13.) Man, then, has nothing 
wherein to glory. All our glory is in Christ- in whom 
we believe, in whom we merit, ii whom we make satis- 
faction, bringing forth fruits worthy of penance. (Luke iii 
8.) This fruit has its efficacy from him ; by him it is of- 
fered to the Father ; and through him is accepted by the 
Father 



OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. 197 



condition of our reigning with him, that we should suffer 
with him. (St. Paul.) Can we then say that nothing is 
required from us ? And even were nothing required from 
us, could we think of our Jesus — in the garden — at the 
pillar — at the courts of Pilate and Herod — on the cross, — 
and desire to be exempted from suffering ? We may form 
some idea of what proportionable satisfaction for sin is, by 
the severe penances of the primitive ages, and still more 
by the torments of purgatory, which exceed all the pains 
of the present life, and which are reserved for those sin- 
ners whose offences have been remitted, but not suffi- 
ciently satisfied for in this life. Whence you can perceive 
how great is the error of those who never think of doing 
or suffering any satisfaction for their sins, or who, at most, 
content themselves with the penance enjoined in confes- 
sion ; not reflecting that the infinite justice of God, which 
so often visibly inflicted such severe punishments on re- 
pentant and pardoned sinners, will not be satisfied with a 
few prayers or good works as a reparation for so many 
lies, so much anger and pride, so much continued negli- 
gence in spiritual duties, disobedience, ill-temper, loss of 
time, &c, &c. 

Sin is always the same, always equally hateful to God, 
always equally deserving of punishment proportioned to 
its enormity. When once it is committed, it must not 
only be pardoned, but likewise fully atoned for, before a 
soul can enter heaven. Therefore, if you be wise, you 
will faithfully follow the advice of St. Augustine, who 
counsels sinners to prevent the punishment of God by 
punishing themselves. Let us then never look upon our 
sins as atoned for, because they have been confessed ; 
though, on the other hand, the pain and humiliation of 
confessing our sins are often accepted by God as a great 
part of the punishment due to sin, particularly when we 
have great difficulties in confessing, and great courage in 
overcoming these difficulties. Let us also endeavor to 
satisfy for our sins, and lessen the immense debt we have 
contracted, by embracing, for this end, every means within 
our reach ; among which means the chief are, regular and 
fervent recourse to the sacraments, as the principal chan- 
nels through which the merits of Jesus Christ are applied 
to our souls ; great devotion to the death and passion of 
our Divine Redeemer, and the holy custom of uniting not 
only our sacramental penance to his sufferings and infinite 



198 OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. 



merits, but also every thought, word and action of our 
lives, performing all in the spirit of charity and penance. 

Great patience and humility in afflictions and crosses are 
also an excellent and efficacious mode of satisfying for sin : 
let us then receive those afflictions and crosses which Pro- 
vidence sends us, not only with patience, but with grati- 
tude, far greater than we would feel to any person who 
had furnished us with money to pay a debt which we could 
not otherwise discharge. If the pains and afflictions of 
this life were viewed in that true light, how many would 
escape the rigorous pains of purgatory ! 

Let us likewise be most fervent in our endeavors to gain 
all the indulgences held forth by the Church to her chil- 
dren ; complying faithfully with the conditions under which 
they are granted. 

Our first and principal duty in recurring to the tribunal 
of penance, should be to do the will of our good God — 
the second, to humble ourselves for the sins, &c, into 
which we have fallen, and to make thus some reparation to 
his offended Majesty — the third, to be reconciled to God, 
if we have been so unfortunate as to lose his grace by 
mortal sin ; and if, as is to be supposed of those who ap- 
proach often to the sacred tribunal, we hope that we are 
already in a state of grace, that we may be more secure 
of his favor; that sanctifying grace maybe increased in 
our souls, that our souls may be strengthened by the ac- 
tual graces and other helps attached to this sacrament ; in 
short, that we may become more pleasing to our dear 
Lord. 

One of the many inestimable advantages of this divine 
institution is, that in it the Almighty remits the guilt of 
our sin, although our contrition be only what is termed 
imperfect contrition. Whereas, without this sacrament, 
we cannot be reconciled to God : that is, the guilt of our 
mortal sins cannot be remitted, (God has thus ordained it,) 
unless we have perfect contrition* for them. 



* Perfect contrition, as it arises from a love of God foi 
himself alone, is so pleasing in his jight, that the moment 
a person has it, God is reconciled to him. Nevertheless, 
tins perfect disposition (even could we be sure that we 
pi/ssessed it, which certainly we can never be, for no 
one knows whether he be worthy of love or hatred) would not 



OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. 199 



Another precious advantage of this sacrament is, that it 
also delivers us from the temporal punishment due to our 
sins, in proportion to the fervor of the repentance with 
which we receive it. How grateful then should we be to 
our dear Lord for the opportunity of having recourse to 
this divine institution ! How careful should we be to se- 
cure the full benefit of it ! and how mindful to pray for 
those who know nothing of this inestimable blessing, as 
well as for those who believe not in its divine origin ! The 
best remote preparation for confession is, to examine our 
conscience daily, as if we were going to confession ; and 
to endeavor daily to correct whatever sin our conscience 
reproaches us with. This is the best means to test the 
sincerity of our repentance. We should also recommend, 
at least during the previous day, our confession, &c, to 
our Blessed Mother, our guardian Angel, holy patrons, 
and all the blessed inhabitants of heaven. 

The best immediate preparation is. after having retired 
to the church, oratory, or some other place where we may 
remain without being disturbed, to humble ourselves pro- 
foundly before God — to thank him for his goodness in giv- 
ing us an opportunity of receiving this life-giving sacra- 
ment, and to beg that he will not permit a want of proper 
dispositions on our part to frustrate the designs of his 
mercy in our regard ; that we may not be blinded by self- 
love ; that we may have a sincere desire to discover all 
our sins, and to make them known to his minister ; that 
he may, in a word, penetrate us deeply with all the feel- 
ings and sentiments which we ought to have in approach- 
ing this holy sacrament. 

After our examination of conscience, let us make an act 
of sincere sorrow for our sins, and resolve to adopt the 
means of avoiding them in future ; distrusting ourselves, 
but relying on him in whom we can do all things. When 
entering the confessional, we should be penetrated with the 
truth, that it is to our God we are going to make our ac- 



free us from the obligation, under which we all are, of re- 
curring to this sacred institution, when in their power ; for 
the command has been given to all. When it is not in 
our power to approach this holy sacrament, we must have 
the desire to do so, and resolve to approach as soon as 
possible. 



200 OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. 



cusation; for, we undoubtedly do, by these words, "I 
confess to Almighty God," call upon him to listen to the 
confession which we are about to make. Being in the 
confessional, we should place ourselves, in spirit, at the 
feet of our God, make the sign of the cross, and say : Pray, 
Father, give me your blessing, for I have sinned ; and, 
when the priest has ceased to speak, say the Confiteor as 
far as, Through my fault, through my fault, through my most 
grievous fault. At these words, we should bow our head, 
and penitently strike our breast ; then say how long it has 
been since our last confession ; secondly, if we were not 
then absolved, or did not communicate, we should mention 
it ; and we should also mention if we have not performed 
our penance, or if we have committed any fault as to the 
time or manner of performing it. Then we should begin 
our confession by accusing ourselves of any sin, which 
might have been forgotten in our last confession, or of any 
faults committed whilst making it. After which, we should 
proceed to the accusation of other sins ; beginning by those 
which we feel most repugnance to mention, as this act of 
humility and generosity is likely to draw down a blessing 
from God on the rest of our confession. We need only 
preface the first sin with the words, / accuse myself. Whilst 
making our accusation, we should try to keep in mind that 
it is to God we are making it. We should be careful not 
to mention our sins, as we would recite a lesson which we 
have learned ; but, on the contrary, endeavor to be sorry 
for them, in proportion as we accuse ourselves of them. 
Having finished our accusation, and submitted our doubts 
to our confessor, we should listen with attention to his ad- 
vice ; and consider any other thought, at that time, how- 
ever good in itself, as an illusion of the enemy, who would 



counsel, &c, of our spiritual Father. < Should our confessor 
deem it better to defer our absolution, we must humbly 
submit to his judgment, as to that of our judge, physician, 
and father. To repine would be extremely wrong; for 
delay is frequently expedient, and in many cases, abso- 
lutely necessary. When our confessor tells us he is about 
to absolve us, we should incline our head in the most re- 
spectful manner, and be deeply mindful that our Saviour's 
blood, shed with so much love for us in the garden and on 
the cross, is about to be applied to our guilty souls, to wash 
them and cleanse them from every stain. We should then 



thus deprive us of the advanta] 




be derived from the 



OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. 201 



renew our sorrow for having offended so good a God, re 
citing from our hearts an act of contrition, and beg of his 
Divine Majesty, that we may rather die than ever offend 
him by any wilful transgression. 

In these, or similar dispositions, we should receive the 
absolution, which is given in the following form : " May 
our Lord Jesus Christ absolve thee ; and I, by his au- 
thority, do absolve thee from every bond of excommunica- 
tion and interdict, as far as I have power, or thou hast 
need. I absolve thee from thy sins, in the name of the 
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. 

" May the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, the merits 
of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of all the Saints ; what- 
ever good thou shalt do, or whatever evil thou shalt suffer, 
be to thee unto the remission of thy sins, the increase of 
grace, and the recompense of life everlasting. Amen" 

Having left the confessional and returned to our place, 
we should again humble ourselves before our God, thank 
him for having permitted us to receive this life-giving sacra- 
ment ; renew our act of contrition and firm purpose of 
amendment, and beg our Blessed Mother, good Angel, &c, 
to take our resolutions and our souls under their special 
protection. If we have time, we should think of the ad- 
vice of our director, and of the manner we shall be best 
enabled to keep our resolutions. For, unless we remove, 
as much as we can consistently with the duties of our state 
of life, the causes, and fly from the occasions of our sins, 
all our resolutions to avoid the sins themselves will be in 
vain. It would be advisable to say our penance at this 
time, unless another time has been specified. We must 
not suffer our mind to be disturbed by examining whether 
we have forgotten any of our sins, or how we have made 
our confession ; for, if we have made it with the requisite 
dispositions, we may rest assured, that we are fully absolved 
from every sin, which we may have omitted through for- 
getfulness, even though it were mortal. " For the sins," 
says the Council of Trent, " that do not occur to him, who 
carefully searches his heart, are supposed to be included in 
his confession ; and it is for these we say with the royal 
Psalmist: From my hidden sins cleanse me, Lord. 1 * 
Should we afterwards discover the oversight, it will be 
sufficient to confess it on our next approach to the sacred 
tribunal. If we have reason to fear that the sin forgotten 
was of a heinous nature, we should, if in our power, return 



202 OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. 

to our confessor : but if this be not in our power, we should 
not suffer ourselves to be disturbed ; for it will suffice to 
accuse ourselves of it in our next confession. 

One of the best rules, which can be followed with re- 
spect to confession, is to approach the sacred tribunal each 
time as if it were to be the last : and it may indeed be the 
last. Let us therefore make it as we would, were we sure 
it would be. We should be convinced, that as much purity 
is requisite to receive our Lord in the adorable sacrament 
of the altar, as to appear before him to be judged : there- 
fore, even though we may have many opportunities of re- 
curring to the tribunal of penance, yet, we may be certain, 
that at the hour of death, we could not have a more serious 
subject of remorse, than multiplied but careless confessions. 
On the other hand, no tongue can describe the consolation 
and peace of those who nave been wise enough to settle 
their accounts with God in time ; and who have not put 
off to a season of sickness, the awful task of preparing for 
eternity. 

To obtain the dispositions necessary to make a good con- 
fession, we must make use of such considerations and medi- 
tations as may excite us to them ; but, above all, we must 
have recourse to humble, fervent, and persevering prayer. 

Since the confession of sins is a duty so repugnant to 
human nature, it may be proper to remark that the same 
divine law, which forces on the sinner the obligation of 
confession, enjoins also on the confessor the strictest obli- 
gation of perpetual secrecy ; so that he cannot, on any ac- 
count whatsoever, even to save his own life, reveal a sin 
which he knows only by confession — what he knows only 
from confession, he knows, not as a man, but only as the 
minister of Jesus Christ. There is also a natural obliga- 
tion of secrecy on the part of the penitent, as to what is 
said in confession : hence, the practice of telling the pen- 
ance, and speaking of the advice given by the confessor, is 
rather improper, as it generally argues a degree of disre- 
spect towards the sacrament and God's minister, and may 
give others occasion of temptation or rash judgment. 



OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. 203 



MEDITATION 

On the esteem we ought to entertain for divine absolution, 
though we should not suppose ourselves in mortal sin, 
when we are about to receive it. 

FIRST POINT. 

THANKS be to God for his unspeakable gift ! If 
we are not more sensible of the benefit of the ab- 
solution, which we receive, it is often because we think 
that we are not in mortal sin, but already in a state of 
grace, when it is granted to us ; — but even under such 
an impression, we must still entertain the highest sense 
of the divine favor conferred on us in the name of our 
blessed Saviour: 1st, Because we can never be so 
secure concerning past mortal sins, as not to desire, 
every time we come to the holy Sacrament of Pen- 
ance, to have them washed away more and more by 
new effusions of the sacred blood of our Jesus. It is 
for this reason we always make a summary accusation 
of our past sins, mentioning even some of the most 
grievous ; and we extend our acts of detestation and 
sorrow to all the iniquities of our past life. Who 
knows, after all, if he be as yet worthy of love or 
hatred, — and if he stands not in need of this very ab- 
solution, he is going to receive, to secure his salva- 
tion 1 And secondly, because new accusations duly 
made, and new absolutions duly received, cannot fail 
to bring new graces of remission and satisfaction for 
past sins. 

SECOND POINT. 

WE must, in the spirit of faith, be extremely sen- 
sible of the benefit of divine absolution. As 
for our venial sins, no means can be more effectual to 
obtain their remission, than a worthy reception of the 
Sacrament of Penance : and how anxious must a truly 
Christian soul be to get rid of these venial sins, which 
are real stains on our conscience, and offend our Cre- 
ator! How many Saints could not bear to remain, 



204 OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. 



even for one day, under the guilt of these offences 
which displeases us a little, only because we have not 
their exalted sense of the holiness of our God, of his 
tender love for us, or of the state in which our souls 
ought to be incessantly in the presence of this su- 
preme holiness ! What gratitude did they feel, as 
often as they received absolution, while we remain so 
cold and insensible ! Oh ! let us cherish the utmost 
purity of our souls ; trying to free them from even their 
least venial faults, by a fervent and right use of this 
best of all means of washing away our sins, viz., the 
sacramental application of the blood of our Jesus, in 
the sacred absolution. But let us remember that in 
order to receive it we must fulfil the conditions of true 
penance, necessary for the forgiveness of any sin, 
either mortal or venial. Let us most carefully avoid 
profaning the divine absolution, by a want, on our 
part, of the requisite dispositions. 

THIRD POINT. 

A LAST consideration must still increase very 
much our profound sentiments of religion and 
gratitude towards the blessed absolution, viz., the 
graces which are attached to it, the very least of 
which is more excellent than the whole visible crea- 
tion. These graces are an increase of the virtues of 
faith, hope and charity, which fortify us in good 
habits, and diminish the violence and force of our 
evil propensities ; also fortitude for the hour of temp- 
tation, and also a claim on the assistance and divine 
interposition of the Almighty, who comes to aid us in 
our struggles: now this must necessarily render our 
perseverance more secure. The grace of absolution 
cancels, according to the fervor of the penitent, more 
or less of the temporal pain which remains to be un- 
dergone, either for mortal or venial sin, in this world 
or in purgatory. 

my soul, think well of these many graces ! and 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE CONFESSION. 



205 



consider each one of them as a drop of the blood of 
thy Divine Saviour. Think that it must also con- 
tribute to secure, hasten, or increase your eternal 
bliss ; and see now how you should esteem divine ab- 
solution. What faith, what love, what gratitude, 
should this word absolution excite in you ! 

This meditation is from the writings of the late vene- 
rable Bishop Brute. 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE CONFESSION. 

THIS Confession maybe your last: therefore en- 
deavor to make it as you would wish to make your 

last. 

BEFORE THE EXAMEN OF CONSCIENCE. 

I. 

Who can understand sins? Ps. xviii 13. 
By the transgression of the law thou dishonor est God. 
Rom. ii 23. 

Crucifying again to themselves the Son of God, and 
making a mockery of him, Heb. vi 6. 

OHOLY and long enduring God ! I prostrate my- 
self before thee, in the deepest self-abasement 
of which I am capable. But oh ! with what feelings 
should my soul be penetrated in thy presence ! Oh ! 
I wish I could humble myself before thee, as my guilt 
and ingratitude deserve. 

II. 

i" desire not the death of htm that dieth, saith the Lord 
God, return ye, and live. Ezech. xviii 32. 

Thou wilt pardon my sin,- for it is great. Ps. 
xxiv 11. 

For thou, Lord, art sweet and mild; and plenteous 
in mercy to all that call upon thee. Ps. lxxxv 5. 

BEHOLD me, then, God of goodness, mercy, 
and compassion ! behold me prostrate before thee. 

18 ' 



206 DEVOTIONS BEFORE CONFESSION*. 

Behold the prodigal, nay, worse than the prodigal. I 
have disfigured and defiled my soul, created to thine 
own image and likeness ; I have sinned against him, 
by whose blood I was redeemed ; I have added to the 
anguish of that heart which endured so much for me 
— I have, by my sins, renewed the death and suffer- 
ings of my Saviour. Oh! my God, what an ungrate- 
ful wretch I have been ! Oh ! that I had never 
offended thee! Oh ! that my heart could break with 
sentiments of perfect contrition ! But do, my Father 
and my God, do, I beseech thee, grant that I may now 
be truly converted to thee ; make my proud and insen- 
sible heart truly humble and contrite ; let this be the 
change of thy Almighty power. I beg this favor 
through all that thy Divine Son, my Jesus, has done 
and suffered for me. 

III. 

In that day, there shall be a fountain open for the 
washing of the sinner, Zach. xiii 1. 

Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them. 
St. John xx 23. 

OMY Jesus ! merciful author of the life-giving Sa- 
crament of Penance ! confiding in that infinite 
goodness and loving condescension which detains 
thee on thy throne of love in the midst of us, I cast 
myself at thy sacred feet ; and I would here thank 
thee, in the best manner I can, for this saving institu- 
tion, and for granting me this opportunity of recurring 
to it. my Blessed Mother, my good Angel, Angels 
of our sanctuary and of our altar, and all ye Saints 
and Angels, unite with me, in thanking and praising 
my Jesus for his goodness to me and to all poor sin 
ners. 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE CONFESSION. 207 



It. 

Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners* 
1 Tim. i 15. 

This is the will of God, your sanctification. 1 Thes. 
iv 3. 

Behold, God is my Saviour, I will deal confidently, 
and will not fear, Isaias xii 2. 

ALMIGHTY Redeemer! hope and refuge of 
sinners ! regard with compassion my poor guilty 
soul. I have, in the multitude of thy tender mercies, 
entered thy holy temple to prepare myself for the re- 
ception of the sacrament of reconciliation. But, 
my God, and my All ! without thy assistance all my 
endeavors to obtain the requisite dispositions will be 
altogether unavailing. Do then, I beseech thee, pour 
forth thy grace into my heart, and preserve me from 
the misfortune of performing this holy action negli- 
gently, or of being deluded with a false sorrow and 
repentance, as I fear I have too often been. Grant 
that I may be deeply penetrated with all those feelings 
and sentiments I should have, in recurring to this sa- 
cred institution of thy infinite goodness. Grant, also, 
that my first desire in approaching the tribunal of re- 
conciliation, and my first motive in desiring to be re- 
conciled to thee, may be to accomplish thy divine 
will. And, my all-powerful Saviour ! purify, I be- 
seech thee, in the furnace of thy own pure love, my 
miserable heart, from all self-seeking and self-love ; 
and grant that I may, in every part of my preparation 
for this holy sacrament, be guided by thy divine Spi 
rit. I ask this favor in thy own sweet name — that 
name to which thou hast promised to grant whatsoever 
we should ask of thee. 



208 DEVOTIONS BEFORE CONFESSION. 



V. 

I will search Jerusalem with lamps* Sophon. i 12. 
But if ice would judge ourselves, we should not be 
judged. 1 Cor. xi 31. 

ETERNAL God ! my soul is seized with terror, 
when I reflect on these thy own words. Oh ! if 
even justice is to be judged, what will become of me, 
a wretch, whose whole life has been a series of sins 
and infidelities ! my God ! I desire now to judge 
myself in such a manner, that, when thou com est to 
judge me, thou mayest pass a favorable sentence. 
But, my God, I feel that I am incapable of judging 
myself. then, holy Spirit ! eternal source of light, 
mercifully deign to enlighten thy poor blind creature, 
that I may discover the deep, concealed weakness and 
misery of my perverse heart; that I may know my- 
self, as much as it is thy will that I should ; and that 
the enemy and my own self-love may not deceive me 
in any way whatever. Grant, also, that, enlightened 
and warned by thee, I may understand and feel, as 
much as thou wiliest, what it is to offend thee. O 
my Jesus! friend and advocate of sinners! present 
thy infinite merits to thy Heavenly Father in behalf 
of the soul thou lovedst so much in Bethlehem, in 
Gethsemani, and on Calvary. 

VI. 

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, his Mother* St. 
John xix 25. 

OMY sweet Mother! Mother of my Jesus the 
God of love and compassion ! thou hast a clearer 
knowledge than any other created being of the excess 
of his love and mercy towards poor sinners ; and 
thou knowest much better the ingratitude and deplo- 
rable misfortune of the sinner who offends him. Oh ! 
do then, I conjure thee, by that sword of sorrow 
which pierced thy soul at the foot of the cross, and, 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE CONFESSION. 209 



by thy knowledge of his love and mercy, obtain for 
me such sentiments of contrition, that I may be per- 
fectly restored to his favor and love, and never again 
do, say, or think any thing in the least offensive to 
him. 

O my dear guardian Angel ! to whose care I am 
committed, though I have so often frustrated the ef- 
forts of thy kind solicitude, do, I humbly conjure 
thee, make use of thy influence with God, and obtain 
for me the favor of making this confession with the 
most perfect dispositions. 

O my holy patrons and patronesses, and all ye 
blessed inhabitants of heaven, interest yourselves in 
my behalf, and obtain that my conversion may be 
entire. 

EXAMEN OF CONSCIENCE. 

The following examination may serve those who have 
not been to confession for a long time, or those who are 
preparing for a general confession or a review. They who 
approach the sacraments weekly, or even less frequently, 
especially when they are accustomed to a daily examina- 
tion of their conscience, have no need of resorting to 
such a table of sins. 

ON THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 

1. " I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt not have strange 
Gods before me" 

CONSIDER, whether you gave to any creature, or to 
any vice, the love of preference which is due to God 
alone % How far ? How often ? 

Whether you wilfully doubted of any article of Faith : 
or whether you have rashly exposed yourself to the danger 
of infidelity, by reading bad books, or keeping wicked 
company ? How often ? 

Have you by word or deed denied your religion, or gone 
to places of false worship, so as to join in the worship, or 
to give scandal ? How often ? 

Have you been ignorant of the articles of your creed, of 
the commandments, or of any of those things which 

18* 



210 DEVOTIONS BEFORE CONFESSION. 



Christians in your station are bound to know ? For how 
long a time ? 

Have you despaired of salvation, or of the forgiveness 
of your sins ? Or have you rashly presumed upon finding 
mercy ; going on in your sins without any thoughts of 
amendment ; or depending upon a death-bed repentance ? 
How long have you been this way ? 



long time to turn to God by repentance ; and lor how long 
a time ? 

Have you neglected your Morning or Evening Prayers ? 
How often ? How long ? 

Have you made a sacrilegious Confession or Commu- 
nion, by concealing some mortal sin in Confession, or 
what you doubted might be mortal ; or by being grossly 
negligent in the examination of your conscience ? How 
often ? 

Have you received Confirmation, or Matrimony, in the 
state of mortal sin ? 

Have you neglected to perform the penance enjoined in 
Confession ? or said it with wilful distractions ? How 
often ? 

Have you employed prayers, or sacred names, to super- 
stitious uses ? How often ? 

Have you profaned the Holy Scripture by any whimsical 
or unauthorized interpretation, or construction ? Have 
you profaned or abused holy places or things consecrated 
to God ? How often ? 

Have you believed in Fatality, Magic, or Superstition ? 
How far ? 

Have you believed in dreams, consulted fortune-tellers, 
or have you done any such unmeaning and wicked thing ? 
How often ? 

2. " Thou shalt not take the name of God in vain." 

CONSIDER whether you have trifled with the name 
of God, by using it irreverently ? How often ? 
Whether you have taken false or rash oaths ; or induced 
others to do so ? How often ? 

Whether you have cursed or sworn, or caused others to 
do so ? How often ? 

Whether you have violated your lawful oaths, or led 
others to do so ? How often ? 

Whether you have executed what you rashly swore to 
do ? How often ? 



Have you, after fallin; 




mortal sin, neglected for a 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE CONFESSION. 211 



3. 11 Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath-day. 11 

(CONSIDER, whether you have neglected to sanctify 
J the Lord's day, either by omitting mass without suf- 
ficient cause, or hearing it irreverently ? How often ? 

Whether you have neglected to assist at the evening 
service of the Church, commonly called Vespers ? 

Whether you have spent the Sunday or any part of it in 
servile work, without necessity? How often? 

4. " Honor thy Father and thy Mother." 

DUTIES OF CHILDREN. 

CONSIDER, whether you have shown any disrespect to 
your parents ? Whether you have answered them in 
a petulant manner, grieved them, or provoked them to 
anger ? Whether you have neglected them in sickness, 
poverty, or any other necessity ? Whether you have dis- 
owned them or been ashamed of them before others ; 
through pride ? Whether you have abused or cursed them ? 
How often ? 

Whether you have stolen from your parents, or squan- 
dered their substance ? Whether you lifted your hand 
against them ? How often ? 

Whether you were impatient or peevish when they re- 
minded you of your faults ? Whether you disregarded their 
good advice ? How often ? 

Whether you neglected to execute their will after their 
death : or delayed unnecessarily to do so ? Whether you 
have shown contempt or disobedience to your lawful su- 
periors, spiritual or temporal ? How often ? 

Whether you have shown contempt or disrespect to aged 
persons ? How often ? 

DUTIES OF SERVANTS, WORKMEN, &C, TO THEIR MASTERS 
AND EMPLOYERS. 

Consider, whether you have been proud, murmuring, or 
disobedient towards your masters or employers ? How 
often ? 

Whether you have been inattentive to the business en- 
trusted to your care ? How far ? How often ? 

Whether you have disregarded the just and reasonable 
interest of your master or employer ? How far ? How 
often? 

Whether you have wilfully permitted them to be injured 
in their person, their property, or their character ? How 
far ? How often ? 



212 DEVOTIONS BEFORE CONFESSION. 



Whether you have committed theft, told lies, or sworn 
falsely to please them, when you knew you should not 
violate the law of God, for any one ? How often ? 

DUTIES OF PARENTS. 

Parents should take notice that, if their children owe them 
respect, love and obedience, they themselves are bound to 
discharge certain duties, on the faithful performance of 
which depends in a great measure the conduct of their 
children. Consider, therefore, whether you have loved 
your children with a Christian love ; correcting them for 
their faults in a Christian manner, that is, with firmness, 
without temper, and at the favorable moment ? 

Have you not allowed them, much to their physical and 
moral detriment, to eat as much and as often as their appe- 
tite, whim, or fancy dictated? 

Have you neglected to teach your children, or have them 
taught the principles of the Faith ? 

Have you neglected their timely education according to 
your means, or their presumed station in life ? 

Have you given them scandal ? How far ? 

Have you been too severe on them ? 

Have you compelled them to a particular state of life ; or 
obliged them to marry a particular person ? 

DUTIES OF MASTERS AND OTHER SUPERIORS TOWARDS THOSE 
UNDER THEIR CARE. 

Consider, whether you took sufficient care to govern your 
servants, or those under your charge, in their manners and 
conversation ? 

Have you afforded them time to say their prayers morn- 
ing and evening ; to hear Mass on Sundays and Holydays ; 
and to approach the Sacraments ? 

Have you ever ordered your servants, or those under 
your charge, to do that which you knew was wrong ? How 
often ? 

Have you ill-used them ? How far ? How often ? 
Have you omitted to pay them their wages ; or delayed 
it from them ? 

5. " Thou shalt not kill. 11 

CONSIDER, whether you did any act that was likely 
to lead to the death 01 a fellow- creature : whether you 
encouraged others to do so, or desired it in your heart ? 
How often ? 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE CONFESSION. 213 



Have you desired any one's death, through hatred, malice, 
or self-interest ? 

Have you provoked, challenged, or struck others, or been 
guilty of quarrelling or fighting ? How often ? 

Have you procured, or thought to procure, or aided or 
assisted to procure, or advised abortion, or miscarriage ? 
Have you desired your own death through passion or im- 
patience ? How often ? 

Have you entertained a deliberate hatred for any fellow- 
creature ? 

Have you exercised tyranny, cruelty, or oppression to- 
wards your debtors, or others within your power ; especi- 
ally towards widows, orphans, or the poor ? How often ? 

Have you refused pardon to those who did you injury ? 

Have you taken private revenge for real or supposed in- 
juries ; suborned others to do it, or desired it in your heart ? 
How often ? 

6. " Thou shalt not commit adultery." 

AS REGARDS MARRIED PEOPLE. 

C10NSIDER, whether you have thought, done, or said, 
/ any thing that may tend to a violation of those pro- 
mises of fidelity made to your partner at marriage ? How 
far have you been guilty in this respect ? 

AS REGARDS UNMARRIED PEOPLE. 

Consider, whether you have thought, done, or said any 
thing, that might tend to the dishonor or abuse of your 
person : How far, and how often have you offended in this 
respect ? 

AS REGARDS PERSONS IN GENERAL. 

Consider, whether you have given scandal by any levity 
or impropriety in your conduct or conversation ? Was it 
before the young and unsuspecting ? Have you made use 
of words of double meaning ? How far and how often ? 

7. " Thou shalt not steal." 

CONSIDER, whether you have possessed or do possess, 
unjustly, the property of your neighbor? Whether 
by fraud in traffic, injustice in weight or measure, or op- 
pression by usury ? How far, how often ? 

Have you bought or received goods from suspicious per- 
sons ? Have you, through malice, envy, or revenge, done 
injury to your neighbor's property ? 



214 DEVOTIONS BEFORE CONFESSION. 

Have you contracted debts beyond your means ? 
Have you persecuted your fellow-creatures by expensive 
lawsuits ? 

Have you declined, when in your power, to pay your 
just debts ? 

Have you refused or delayed to make restitution for the 
injury done your neighbor, when in your power ? 

Have you refused to fulfil your just promises, and thereby 
caused distress or disappointment to your neighbor ? How 
far, how often ? 

8. " Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. 11 

CONSIDER, whether you ever privately or publicly 
swore, said, or insinuated that which was false, or 
doubtful, against your neighbor ? 

Whether you spoke ill of him ? Whether you called him 
by abusive names ? Whether you declined to defend his 
character, when it was your duty to do so ? 

Whether you flattered people in their crimes and ex- 
cesses? How often? 

Whether you accused them of faults of which you knew, 
or had reason to doubt, that they were innocent ? How 
often ? 

Whether you made known the private sins of others ? 
Opened their letters without permission? Whether you 
listened to the private conversation of others ? How often ? 

Whether you set your neighbors at variance by relating 
the private business of one to another ? How often ? 

9. " Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife" 

C CONSIDER, whether you entertained, with deliberate 
J pleasure, thoughts on those sins prohibited by the Sixth 
Commandment ? How often ? " Evil thoughts are an abomi' 
nation to the Lord. — Prov. xv 26. 

10. " Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor 1 s goods. 11 

CONSIDER, whether you have dwelt with deliberate 
pleasure on those sins prohibited by the Seventh Com- 
mandment ? 

ON THE PRECEPTS OF THE CHURCH. 

1. To hear Mass on Sundays and Holy days of obligation. 

CONSIDER, whether you have committed any of the 
faults enumerated under the Third Commandment of 
the Decalogue ? 



DEVOTION'S BEFORE CONFESSION. 215 

2. To fast and to abstain from, flesh-meat on certain days. 

CONSIDER, whether you have omitted to fast during 
Lent, or at other times appointed by the Church, with- 
out a dispensation, or without sufficient cause ? How often ? 

Whether you have eaten meat on prohibited days, with- 
out sufficient reason ? How often ? 

3. To confess one's sins at least once a year. 

CONSIDER, whether you have suffered the year to 
pass, without approaching the tribunal of penance ? 
Whether you neglected the due examination of your 
conscience, before going to confession ? 

Whether you have concealed any mortal sin, or so colored 
it as to make it appear less grievous ? 

Whether you have received absolution with sincere sor- 
row, and a firm purpose of amendment ? 

Whether you have disputed with your director, when he 
gave you advice, instead of bowing submissively to his 
counsels ? 

Whether you neglected the due fulfilment of your sacra- 
mental penance, or deferred it without necessity ? 

4. To receive the blessed Eucharist at Easter, or thereabouts. 

CONSIDER, whether you neglected to receive the Sa- 
crament of the Eucharist at Paschal time from the 
hands of your Pastor, or his representative ? 

5. To contribute to the support of your Pastors. 

CONSIDER, whether you omitted, without necessity, 
to pay to your legitimate spiritual Pastor, the contri- 
bution for his support, which prescription has established 
in your locality % 

6. Not to solemnize marriage in times forbidden, or within 
the forbidden degrees of kindred. 

CONSIDER, whether you gave scandal by disregarding 
the ordinances of the Church regarding the time of 
your marriage, or the marriage of any one else, over whom 
you may have had control ? 

Whether you were culpably ignorant of the relationship 
between the parties to be married? or whether you wil- 
fully concealed it ? 

Whether you disregarded the prudent advice of your pa- 
rents ? Whether you neglected to consult God, or your 



216 DEVOTIONS BEFORE CONFESSION. 



Confessor, or your friends, when you were arranging to 
get married ? 

Whether you made an elopement, or intended to do so, 
at the time of your marriage ? Or whether you aided, or 
advised others to do so ? 

Whether you neglected to give timely notice to your 
Pastor of your intended marriage ? 

Whether you had in view your spiritual, no less than 
your temporal advantage, at the time of your marriage? 

Whether you have taken all the necessary precautions 
to guard against the evils that might follow from a mixed 
marriage ? 

ON THE SEVEN CAPITAL OR DEADLY SINS. 
Pride. 

CONSIDER, how far you have been proud, overbearing, 
or tyrannical towards your dependants ; ill-mannered 
or offensive towards your equals ; disobedient, insolent, or 
disrespectful to your superiors ? 

Covetousness. 

CONSIDER, how far and how often you have indulged 
in an excessive love of this world and the things of 
this world ? How far and how often you have desired, or 
effected unjust possessions, fraudulent profit, iniquitous 
gain ? How far and how often you have been guilty of hard- 
heartedness, injustice, and cruelty, in order to save, or pro- 
cure money ? Whether through pride, ambition, or pre- 
sumption, you have been dissatisfied with your condition 
in life, and murmured against the will of God ? 

Envy. 

CONSIDER, how far and how often you have been 
guilty of envying your neighbor's spiritual or tempo- 
ral prosperity ? Have you grieved at his good fortune, or 
rejoiced at his adversity ? How far and how often have 
you unjustly dispraised him or his actions ? 

Anger. 

CONSIDER, how far and how often you may have in- 
dulged in anger, passion, impatience, or excitement, 
for little or no cause ? 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE CONFESSION. 217 



Gluttony. 

CONSIDER, how far and how often you may have in- 
dulged in excess in eating or drinking? Whether you 
have lived above your means ? 

Lust. 

See, on this head, what has been already said on the Sixth 
and Ninth Commandments of God. 

Sloth, 

CONSIDER, how far and how often you may have 
yielded to that animal feeling of a distaste for the 
things of God, or for the invisible goods of the life to come ? 
How far and how often you may have indulged in careless- 
ness and indifference in the discharge of your religious du- 
ties ? How far and how often you may have been incon- 
stant in your good resolutions ; neglectful in your calling ; 
ungrateful to God for his favors ; or faithless to your 
friends ? 

Whether you gave, or entertained a slothful preference 
to idleness or poverty, rather than labor honorably and in- 
dustriously for your own support ? 

Observe, that in each of those sins, of which you maybe 
guilty, you may not only be guilty of your own sin, but of 
the sins of others ; by " counselling, commanding, consent- 
ing to, or praising the sin of another ; assisting, or other- 
wise sharing in it, not hindering it when you could, and 
by concealing it, when it may be your duty to make it 
known." You may be guilty of the sins of others also, by 
showing them a bad example. 

AFTER THE EXAMINATION OF CON- 
SCIENCE. 

I. 

The heart is deceitful above all things. 

OTHOU, who canst do whatsoever thou wiliest, 
enlighten my blindness, that I may discover all 
the faults and defects there may have been in the ex- 
amination of my conscience, and in the judgment I 
have formed of myself— that I may know myself, and 
make myself known to thy minister. 

19 



218 DEVOTIONS BEFORE CONFESSION. 



II. 

Know thou, and see, that it is an evil and a bitter 
thing for thee, to have left the Lord thy God. Jer. ii 19 

I HAVE sinned, and I have thereby lost the friend- 
ship of thee, my Creator, my Preserver, my Re- 
deemer, and my God. I have made myself a slave to 
thy enemy and mine : I have exposed myself to the 
never-ending" pains of hell — to eternal separation from 
thee, my God. But, more than this: I have by my 
sins renewed the cause of my Saviour's sufferings ; 1 
have offended him, who loved me and delivered him 1 
self a willing- victim, to bleed and die, that I might 
live ; I have offended him, who, on account of his own 
infinite perfections, and for his own sake, should pos- 
sess an undivided and devoted love. Oh ! how happy 
are those who have never offended thee, my God ! 
that I had been so happy ! But I resolve, with the 
assistance of thy divine grace, without which I can do 
nothing, never more to offend thee. I would much 
rather die than be again guilty of even the least sin ; 
for the least offence against thee is something incon- 
ceivably great. Too late have I known thee, Eter- 
nal Truth! Too late have I loved thee, Beauty 
ever ancient and ever new ! 

III. 

We have an Advocate with the Father .... always 
living to make intercession for us. 1 John ii 1 ; Heb. 
vii 25. 

OMY divine, my merciful Saviour ! I am filled 
with fear and trembling, at the thought of ray 
sins, my wretched weakness, and the many other 
miseries of my poor soul ; but, I am encouraged and 
consoled, when I remember, that thou art my Advo- 
cate, and I behold thee pleading my cause with thy 
heavenly Father. Thou knowest all my necessities, 
thou seest the desires of my heart. 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE CONFESSION. 219 



m 

To thee only have I sinned. Ps. 1 6. 
The mercies of the Lord I will sing forever. Ps. 
Ixxxviii f. 

INFINITE Goodness ! it is against thee I have 
sinned, and it is thou thyself that providest the 
means for my return. Thou mightest have been long 
ago glorified in thy justice, by condemning me to 
hell ; yet, thou didst spare me; and notwithstanding 
my weekty, nay, daily treasons and offences against 
thee, thou hast not only preserved my life, but hast 
continually cherished me with innumerable special 
graces : and, Goodness inconceivable ! thou now 
callest upon me, to cast my sinful soul into the bath 
of thy own precious blood. 

V. 

He was offered because it was his own will. Isaias 
liii 7. 

The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 
Ibid, liii 6. 

My soul is sorrowful even unto death. St. Mark 
xiv 34. 

Y soul is sorrowful even unto death! Who is he 
that utters this expression, and for whom does 
he utter it] My poor guilty soul, it is thy Saviour, 
thy Jesus, the great God of heaven and earth, the God 
of all holiness ; and it is for thy sins that he is sor- 
rowful, and sorrowful even unto death. Ap- 
proach, behold the adorable blood gushing from every 
sacred pore ; his soul is in a sea of anguish, his mer- 
ciful heart is pierced by as many darts as we have 
committed sins. my Saviour! by all that thou 
didst suffer for me in this bitter hour, grant that I 
may, to the end of my life, unceasingly lament and 
detest, from the purest love of thee, each one of my 



220 DEVOTIONS BEFORE CONFESSION. 



sins — alas, each one added new anguish to thy ago- 
nized heart. 

Behold, heavenly Father, my Jesus sorrowful 
for my sins, even unto death, and permit me to offer 
his sorrow to supply my want of sorrow. 

VI. 

He was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised 
for our sins: the chastisement of our peace was upon 
him, and by his bruises we are healed, Isaias liii 5. 

OGOD of love ! Goodness inconceivable ! how 
hard my heart must be, that it is not wrung 
with anguish at the sight of its sins, at the thought 
that it has offended thee. My God, I am sorry for 
this insensibility of my poor heart ; and I resolve, 
with the assistance of thy holy grace, to show by my 
actions, by my carefulness to avoid every thing in the 
least offensive to thee, that I am grateful for thy infi- 
nite love and mercy in my regard. Accept, O my 
God, in thy great mercy, the poor remains of my life, 
1 am sincerely sorry for the years I have misspent : 
they have vanished as a shadow, they have passed 
away without fruit; but as I cannot recall them, ac- 
cept my desire to think of them in the bitterness of 
my soul. 

VII. 

And when they were come to the place, which is called 
Calvary, they crucified him there. St. Luke xxiii 33. 
You are bought with a great price, 1 Cor. vi 20. 

JESUS, my Lord ! how can I endure the thought, 
that for my offences thou art sacrificed ; that by 
my hand thou art immolated ] O my soul ! dear- 
bought purchase of a Saviour's blood, lift up thy eyes, 
and behold the adorable Victim of thy guilt, or rather 
of his own and his Father's love for thee. Approach 
— kneel at the foot of his sacred cross — my ado- 
rable Redeemer! hear me, a poor wretch, making sup- 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE CONFESSION. 221 



plication to thee : let thy sacred blood flow on my 
guilty soul : let thy divine voice ascend : let thy 
wounds, thy bruised and mangled body plead with 
thy heavenly Father in my behalf ; and grant, that I 
may be washed from my iniquities and cleansed from 
my sins ; and that I may be clothed with the garments 
of salvation and the robe of justice. Receive me into 
thy extended arms: shelter me in thy sacred heart; 
and with thy precious blood, seal me thy own for 
ever. 

Say the prayer, 44 Come, Holy Ghost," to beg light for 
your Confessor. 

Make your confession, prostrate in spirit at the foot of the 
cross. 

At the moment of absolution, incline your head in pro- 
found humiliation; and penetrated with the thought that the 
precious blood of our Jesus is being applied to your sinful 
soul, make the following , or some other act of contrition: 

my God! I abhor, I detest all the sins which I 
have just confessed, and also all the sins and infideli- 
ties of my whole life : I desire to do so from the 
purest love of thee. Deprive me of life, O my God ! 
rather than permit me to live to offend thee by any 
deliberate sin. 

OTHER PRAYERS, 

After the Examination of Conscience, which may be used 
instead of the preceding. 

t 

OGOD of infinite holiness ! in whose sight sin is 
always abominable, what an object of horror 
must I now appear before thee, defiled as I am with 
innumerable offences ! I acknowledge my transgres- 
sions, Lord ! I feel that I am not worthy to appear 
in thy presence, or to call on that adorable name, 
which I do not deserve to pronounce. I have of- 
fended thee more grievously than many who are now 



222 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE CONFESSION. 



plunged In the eternal fire of bell. I have abused -thy 
graces, trampled on thy blood, ungratefully turned thy 
benefits against thyself, and neglected opportunities 
of salvation which will never return. Ah ! if I had 
treated my fellow-creatures with half the ingratitude I 
have shown thee, my God, I would despair of their 
forgiveness ; but, though most unworthy either to ask 
or obtain thy pardon, I do not despair of being again 
received into thy grace and friendship. I know that 
I cannot trust too confidently in thy mercies ; I know 
that my multiplied sins are few, when contrasted with 
thy abundant merits, and that thou never canst reject 
an humble and contrite heart. I cast myself, with all 
my sins and miseries, at the foot of thy cross, where 
no sinner was ever condemned, who implored thy 
pardon with humility and sorrow. I embrace thy feet 
with the penitent Magdalen; and I ardently wish, 
that like her, I could love thee as much as I have of- 
fended. Ah! do not refuse me that pardon, which I 
desire more ardently than any other blessing I could 
possibly enjoy. Take compassion on me, O my God 
and my Father ! for, to whom can I have recourse 
but to thee ] If thou reject me, who will receive me ? 
Or, who could pardon such sins as mine, if not thou, 
O infinite Mercy 1 I have already been loaded with 
too many favors, to doubt of thy willingness to receive 
thy prodigal, repentant child. I never should have 
thought of returning to thee, if thou hadst not called 
me thyself. My most merciful Redeemer, I detest 
my sins from the bottom of my heart. I sincerely 
detest sin, in general, because it is thy enemy. I de- 
test most sincerely all the sins of my life, particularly 
those which have displeased thee most, those which 
are hidden from my view, and those which I am going 
to accuse myself of in this confession. I now look 
on those offences as the greatest misfortunes of my 
life, and heartily regret them, because they have made 
me hateful in thy sight, exposed me to the dreadful 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE CONFESSION. 223 

misfortune of being eternally separated from thee. I 
detest them, because they have offended my most 
merciful and liberal Benefactor, and because they 
fastened thy most adorable body to the cross. But, 
my God, these are not my only motives for sincerely 
detesting my sins : if there were neither heaven nor 
hell ; if I had never received, nor ever could hope for 
a benefit from thee; still I would abhor all sin, and 
heartily regret having had the misfortune of commit- 
ting so great an evil, because it offends thee, infinite 
and adorable Perfection ! who canst never be suffi- 
ciently loved for thyself alone. Oh ! why did I not 
always think as I now do ] Why was I so miserable, 
so blind, as to listen rather to the suggestions of the 
devil, than to thy divine inspirations ] Why were 
the best days of my life spent in offending my Cre- 
ator 1 At least, may I now for ever forsake that sin- 
ful course I have too long pursued ; may sin always 
appear to me as it does now, more dreadful than hell 
itself ; and the least temptation to offend thee, more 
frightful than death. Oh ! let every hour of my life 
henceforward increase my sorrow for all my offences, 
and strengthen my firm resolution to prefer a thou- 
sand deaths to the unspeakable misfortune of com- 
mitting one deliberate sin. 

II. 

DIVINE Jesus ! whose holy grace has opened my 
eyes to the miserable and sinful state of my soul, 
who hast penetrated my heart with sorrow for my of- 
fences ; it is in thy presence I now most solemnly re- 
solve to begin a new life, and endeavor to become, 
from this very moment, what I shall certainly wish to 
have been at the hour of my death. I resolve to adopt 
all the means I know to be necessary for preserving 
thy grace, and persevering in virtue. I resolve to dis- 
charge my spiritual duties with the utmost fidelity, to 
employ all my time carefully, and in the manner that 



224 DEVOTIONS BEFORE CONFESSION. 



thou requirest, since I must account for every moment 
of it to thee. I resolve to strive particularly against 
those faults I am most accustomed to commit, and to 
avoid those dangerous occasions which have hitherto 
led me into sin. These are my firm resolutions, 
my God ! but I tremble when I consider my former 
inconstancy and my present weakness. I do not de- 
serve those graces I have so often abused ; but, not- 
withstanding, since thou knowest I can do nothing 
without thee, I humbly hope thou wilt give me the 
grace and strength necessary for persevering in thy 
love, and keeping most faithfully the resolutions I 
now make. 

Preserve me, O Lord, from presumptuous confi- 
dence in my own strength ; for that alone would cause 
my fall. Alas ! there are many now in hell, who, at 
some period of their mortal life, felt more fervor, more 
sorrow for sin, and made more firm purposes of amend- 
ment than I do ; I also may deserve to be abandoned 
by thee. My God and only hope ! leave me not to 
myself — accept my resolutions, but do thou give them 
efficacy; permit me to place them in thy hands, in 
thy sacred heart, and under the protection of thy 
blessed Mother, and my good Angel ; that thus my 
weakness may be powerfully assisted, and that I may 
be preserved from the misfortune of a relapse into sin. 

III. 

O DIVINE Lord ! I am fully sensible that it is the 
greatest of all misfortunes to orTend thy divine 
Majesty, and that no misery can exceed that which is 
attached to the violation of thy law ; therefore I again 
declare that I abhor my sins, and return to thee with 
my whole heart. But, O my God ! w r hen I consider 
that one single offence is a just and sufficient cause 
for eternal tears — when I reflect on the bitter regrets 
w r hich the Saints felt for a venial sin, and then com- 
pare my grievous offences with my imperfect sorrow, 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE CONFESSION. 225 

I am justly alarmed at my great insensibility. Oh! 
why is not my sorrow as great as my offences I why 
cannot I grieve for them even unto death, and collect 
in my heart all the contrition that was ever felt by the 
greatest penitents, that thus it may be truly broken 
with sorrow, and incapable of enjoying any other 
satisfaction than that winch is found in unceasing re- 
gret! But since those holy dispositions are graces to 
w T hich I have no claim, I beseech thee, O Divine 
Lord ! to accept my desires, and supply, from the 
treasure of thy infinite merits, all the deficiencies in 
my preparation for this confession. Accept in my 
behalf, adorable Jesus ! the clear view thou hadst 
of all my sins in the garden of Olives, to supply for 
my imperfect knowledge of them, or any defect in 
my examination. I offer up thy sighs, thy tears, thy 
fainting, thy bloody sweat and the bitter anguish 
which penetrated thy amiable heart, to supply for the 
weakness of my contrition. I offer thee thy merciful 
resolution of dying for the expiation of sin, to atone 
for any deficiency thou mayest discern in my deter- 
mination never more to offend thee, and to perform 
all the actions of my life in the spirit of contrition 
and penance. O adorable Heart of Jesus ! which 
was sorrowful even unto death, for those very sins I 
am about to accuse myself of ; which w T as wounded 
on the cross, and thus rendered the refuse of sinners : 
I call on thee now, with all the earnestness, humility 
and confidence I am capable of, and entreat of thee, 
by thy infinite love for sinners, to remember all I cost 
thee, and to apply to my soul abundantly the infinite 
merits of thy humiliations, sufferings and anguish. 

IV. 

ADORABLE Jesus, the invisible high-priest of 
our souls! who, in the excess of thy love, hast 
instituted this consolatory sacrament of pardon and 
mercy ; it is before thee I am going to present myself ; 



228 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE CONFESSION. 



it is thy divine authority which I reverence in the per- 
son of thy minister. O compassionate physician of 
our souls! who didst not refuse to heal, with thy own 
divine hands, those lepers whose horrid malady was a 
figure of sin, I am going- to approach to thee, con- 
vinced that thou wilt and canst make me clean. Oh ! 
let me be so happy as to find mercy and pardon ; let 
no evil disposition of mine be an obstacle to thy mer- 
ciful designs on my soul. omnipotent Jesus ! what 
is impossible to me is infinitely easy to thee — change 
then my heart, show me so clearly what sin is, and 
what it deserves, that I may cheerfully accept the 
pain and humiliation which I may feel in avowing my 
offences. Let thy divine spirit be in my heart, and 
on my lips, that my confession maybe sincere, entire, 
humble and penitent. 

Mother of God ! Mother of mercy ! and Refuge of 
sinners ! intercede for me now, that this confession I 
am going to make, may not render me more guilty, 
but may obtain for me the remission of my sins, and 
grace to avoid them in future. 

Holy Angel, to whose care I am committed, do not 
leave me, now that I so particularly require your 
charitable assistance. Watch over me, while I de- 
clare my sins in the sacred tribunal ; preserve me from 
temptation, and intercede for me with our common 
Lord and Master, that his holy grace and the words 
of his minister may sink deep into my heart, and tend 
to the perfect and lasting change of my life. 



DEVOTIONS AFTER CONFESSION. 
I. 

Thy sins are forgiven thee* St. Mark ii 5. 

YES, God of goodness and mercy ! I have, just 
now, been absolved, by virtue of the power, 
which thou hast granted to the ministers of thy 
Church. That sentence of mercy and forgiveness has 
restored me to thy favor, if, as I wish and hope to 
have done, I have approached the sacred tribunal with 
the requisite dispositions. This is the effect of the 
precious blood thou hast shed for me, O Jesus my 
God and Saviour ! Yes, thou hast loved me ; and 
washed me from my sins in thy own blood. 

Give thanks to God for his infinite love and mercy, 
PSALM CII. 

~I)LESS the Lord, O my soul : and let all that is 
J3 within me bless his holy name. 

Bless the Lord, O my soul : and never forget all he 
hath done for thee. 

Who forgiveth all thy iniquities : who healeth all 
thy diseases : 

Who redeemeth thy life from destruction : who 
crowneth thee with mercy and compassion : 

Who satisfieth thy desire with good things : thy 
youth shall be renewed like the eaglo's. 

The Lord doeth mercies and judgment for all that 
suffer wrong. 

He hath made his ways known to Moses ; his wills 
to the children of Israel. 

The Lord is compassionate and merciful; long suf- 
fering and plenteous in mercy. 

He will not always be angry : nor will he threaten 
for ever. 

He hath not dealt with us according to our sins 
nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 

227 



22S 



DEVOTIONS AFTER CONFESSION. 



For according- to the height of the heaven above the 
earth ; he hath strengthened his mercy towards them 
that fear him. 

As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he 
removed our iniquities from us. 

As a father hath compassion on his children, so hath 
the Lord compassion on them that fear him : 

For he knoweth our frame : he remembereth that we 
are dust : 

Man's days are as grass, as the flower of the field 
so shall he flourish. 

For the spirit shall pass in him, and he shall not 
be : and he shall know his place no more. 

But the merc) T of the Lord is from eternity and unto 
eternity upon them that fear him : 

And his justice unto children's children, to such as 
keep his covenant, 

And are mindful of his commandments to do them. 

The Lord hath prepared his throne in heaven : and 
his kingdom shall rule over all. 

Bless the Lord all ye his Angels : you that are 
mighty in strength, and execute his word, hearkening 
to the voice of his orders. 

Bless the Lord, all ye his hosts : you ministers of 
his that do his will. 

Bless the Lord, all his works: in everyplace of his 
dominion, my soul, bless thou the Lord. 

Glory be to the Father, &c. 

II. 

Behold^ thou art made whole: sin no more. St, 
John v 14. 

O ALMIGHTY and merciful God! who accord- 
ing to the multitude of thy tender mercies, hast 
vouchsafed, once more, to rec3ive this prodigal child, 
nay, worse than the prodigal, and to admit her to the 
sacrament of reconciliation, I give thee thanks with 
all the powers of my soul, for this, and all thy other 



DEVOTIONS AFTER CONFESSION. 229 

mercies, graces and blessings bestowed on rne, the 
most unworthy of all sinners ; and prostrating myself 
now at thy sacred feet, I offer myself, to be hencefor- 
ward and for ever thine. Oh ! let nothing in life or 
death ever separate me from thee. I once more re- 
nounce, with my whole soul, all my treasons against 
thee, and all the abominations and sins of my past life. 
I renew my promises made in baptism, and my holy 
vows ; and from this moment I dedicate myself eter- 
nally to thy love and service. Oh ! grant, that, for 
the time to come, I may keep my heart with all watch- 
fulness, abhor sin, and fear even the shadow of it more 
than any thing whatsoever. I resolve henceforward to 
suffer any thing rather than offend thee, and to avoid 
most carefully every occasion of even the least infi- 
delity to thee. I beg thy blessing upon these my reso- 
lutions, that they may not be ineffectual, like so many 
others I have formerly made. For, O Lord ! without 
thee I am nothing but misery and sin. Supply also, 
by thy mercy, whatever defects have been in this my 
confession. I am sensible it has been very imperfect, 
and that I was far from having that true sorrow 
which the heinousness of my sins required : but let 
the precious blood of thy well beloved Son supply the 
deficiency. Accept my poor performance, such as it 
is, and give me grace to be now, and always a true 
penitent, through the same Jesus Christ, thy Son. 
Amen, 

III. 

Forget not the kindness of thy surety : for he hath 
given his life for thee. Ecclus. xxix 19. 

OMY Divine Saviour! it is my ardent desire never 
to forget thy unspeakable kindness, and to do all 
in my power to return, in the best way I can, thy un- 
merited mercy in my regard. But, O my God ! how 
can a poor sinful atom make any return to thee? 
Goodness inconceivable ! all that thou desirest is my 

20 



230 DEVOTIONS AFTER CONFESSION. 



poor unworthy heart Behold it then, I offer it to thee 
without any reserve — remove from it, I beseech thee, 
every thing in the least displeasing- to thee, and fill it 
with divine charity, that it may be an abode in which 
thou wilt delight to dwell : reign sovereign in it now 
and for ever. 

IV. 

Behold thy Mother. St. John xix 27. 

"i/TOTHER of my Jesus! remember that thou art 
. Yl also my Mother — my soul was committed to 
thy care by our Jesus, and lie himself has given thee 
to me for my Mother : do then, I beseech thee, my 
sweet Mother, obtain that I may receive from this 
holy sacrament all the fruits which it is his will it 
should produce in my soul. And, my blessed 
Mother ! by all the anguish thou didst feel in being 
separated from thy Divine Son, obtain for me that 
perfect love which will keep me united to him in time 
and in eternity. Show thyself my Mother. 

O my good Angel, my guide and guardian; my holy 
patrons and patronesses, and all ye Angels and Saints, 
intercede for me; obtain that I may keep all my good 
resolutions. 

V. 

The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which 
was lost. St. Luke xix 10. 

There shall be joy before the Angels of God upon one 
sinner doing penance. St. Luke xv 10. 

MERCIFUL Redeemer! by all thou hast done 
and suffered for poor sinners, grant to them all, I 
beseech thee, the grace of true repentance. 

O holy Mother of our Jesus, obtain that all poor 
sinners may recur to this salutary remedy, prepared 
for them, from all eternity, in the designs of his love 
and mercy. 



DEVOTIONS AFTER CONFESSION". 231 



A METHOD OF OFFERING THE PENANCE 
ENJOINED IN CONFESSION. 

Accustom yourself to direct your intention, before you 
recite your sacramental penance, fervently uniting it to the 
sufferings and merits of Christ. This may be done by the 
following, or any similar short 

PRAYER. 

OMY God and my Creator ! I offer thee the pen- 
ance I am about to perform ; thou didst impose it 
on me by the ministry of my confessor, and I desire 
to perform it with the utmost contrition, devotion, and 
humility. But, Lord ! since thou well knowest that 
it is inadequate to my sins, and that any thing 1 I could 
do would be incapable of blotting out the least of my 
offences, permit me to unite this penance, as well as 
all the actions, pains and sufferings of my life, to the 
bitter sufferings of my Redeemer, to the great sacrifice 
of expiation which Jesus offered on Mount Calvary for 
my sins; also to the merits of the Blessed Virgin, to 
the penance and sufferings of all the Saints and all the 
just, that thereby the deficiencies of my imperfect satis- 
faction may be abundantly supplied. 

OTHER PRAYERS AFTER CONFESSION, 

WHICH MAY BE USED INSTEAD OF THE PRECEDING. 

praise the Lord, all ye nations .• praise him, all ye 
people. For his mercy is confirmed upon us.- and the 
truth of the Lord remaineth for ever. Glory, $~c. 
Psalm cxvi. 

MERCIFUL Redeemer of my soul ! what praise, 
love, and thanks, shall I return thee for having 
made a bath of thy blood, and a garment of thy grace, 
to cleanse my defiled soul in the sacrament of pen- 
ance ] Let my body, soul, and all that is within me, 
bless thee eternally ; and let heaven, earth and all 
that is within them, say Amen. 



232 DEVOTIONS AFTER CONFESSION. 



Receive, I beseech thee, O my dear Lord ! by the 
bowels of thy mercy, by the merits of thy Mother, 
and by the merits of all thy blessed Saints, this my 
confession: let it be pleasing to thy sacred Majesty, 
and profitable to my own soul ; let thy infinite sweet- 
ness of love, and bitterness of sorrow, supply all its 
defects : whether it be want of fervent contrition, or 
perfect integrity, of humility, of charity, of simplicity, 
of a true sense and feeling of the heinousness of my 
sins, of a full resolution of amendment, or any other 
circumstance, negligence, or error whatsoever. 

Forget and forgive, O my God ! I beseech thee, all 
the crimes and ingratitude of my past life, and, in par- 
ticular, whatever may have escaped my memory in 
this confession. I am sincerely sorry for all that 1 
have done offensive to thee. I renounce all that is op- 
posed to thy perfect love. I resign my body and soul 
to do penance, and to make all possible satisfaction. 
And lastly, for thy own sake, sweet Jesus ! I beseech 
thee to pardon all my sins, relying on thy goodness, 
confiding in thy mercy, rejoicing that thou art so lov- 
ing, and so worthy of all love, so good in thyself, so 
good to all others, and so good to me, the least and 
worst of all. 

Let all creatures join with me this day, and for all 
eternity, in loving, honoring, serving, and praising 
thee, my glorious Creator, my gracious .Redeemer, my 
liberal Sanctifier. Admit me, O my Jesus! as one of 
thy lowliest servants ; grant that 1 may live and die 
in the performance of my resolutions ; in obedience 
and submission to thy holy will : grant that I may 
never more offend thee, but loathe and abhor the very 
name and shadow of sin, more than death or hell it- 
self. Teach me, O Lord ! how to persevere in thy 
love, and to correspond to my holy vocation, with a 
zealous fervor, joined with prudence and discretion ; 
that serving thee, my sovereign Lord and Master ! 
during my abode in this prison of mortality, with 



DEVOTIONS AFTER CONFESSION. 



233 



fidelity, in the spirit of humility, charity and sim- 
plicity, I may, at the end of my life, be admitted to 
my heavenly and eternal home : and that I may for 
ever sing- thy mercies, for having used such sweet and 
efficacious means to bring me to thee, my God and 
my All. 

AN OFFERING 

Of our Divine Saviour's thoughts, words and actions, in 
atonement for our sins of thought, word and action. 

OMY God and Saviour ! graciously vouchsafe to 
remember all those holy thoughts that have 
passed in thy divine mind from the beginning of the 
world to this very moment, and particularly thy ten- 
der design of becoming man for the redemption of the 
world : pardon, through the merits of these, not only 
all the evil thoughts and vain imaginations I have ever 
conceived of myself, but also those which I may have 
excited in the minds of others. Amen. 

OMOST loving Redeemer ! I, a poor sinner, do 
humbly remind thee of all the words of salvation 
which ever fell from thy sacred lips, or which others 
have uttered, or shall hereafter utter, to the glory of 
thy holy name. I earnestly beseech thee, through 
these holy expressions, to forgive whatever I have 
spoken offensive to thee, or what others, through my 
means, may have sinfully uttered. Amen. 

OMY Divine Saviour and Model ! look on all the 
good works thou hast performed for my salva- 
tion ; and be pleased now to pardon whatever I have 
committed against thee. Mercifully direct all my 
thoughts, words, and actions, to thy greater glory, and 
regulate them by the model of thine own blessed life. 
Amen. 



20* 



PRESERVATIVES AND REMEDIES AGAINST SIN. 



TRUE repentance, as it has been already observed, im- 
plies a firm purpose of amendment, that is, a sincere 
and efficacious determination to take all necessary precau- 
tions against relapsing into sin. 

The most general prescriptions against all kinds of sin, 
are, frequent and fervent prayer ; meditation, and considera- 
tion on the four last things, and on the other great Chris- 
tian truths ; frequenting the sacraments with due prepa- 
ration ; reading spiritual books ; daily examinations of 
conscience ; devotion to the passion of Christ, to his 
Blessed Mother, and to the saints ; a continual watchful- 
ness over yourself ; giving alms according to your ability ; 
daily mortifying your inclinations ; chastising your body ; 
and particularly taking care to shun the occasions of sin, 
and to resist the first motions of evil. 

AGAINST PRIDE. 

PRIDE is an inordinate love, which man conceives of 
his own excellence. Effectually to combat this sin, 
study, and endeavor to know yourself, and often reflect on 
the meanness of your extraction ; your body from dirt and 
corruption, and your soul from nothing. Consider the 
many miseries of your present condition ; your perpetual 
reluctance to good, and inclination to evil ; the certainty 
of death, and the uncertainty of your eternal lot. Above 
all, consider what a deplorable figure a soul in mortal sin 
makes, in the sight of God. How often has not this been 
your case ? Is it not so at present ? Ah ! what should be 
your confusion then, and your horror ? You have deserved 
eternal damnation ! And after all, dare you lift up your 
head through pride ? 

Set before your eyes the example of Christ, who hum- 
bled himself to the death of the cross, to cure your pride ; 
and who particularly calls upon all his followers, to learn 
from him to be "meek and humble of heart,"- (St. 3Iatt, 
xi 29,) and declares, that "unless they become as little 
ones, they shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." 
JSt. Matt, xviii 3. 

Meditate often upon the great injury which the soul sus- 
tains from the sin of pride, which corrupts its very vitals, 



PRESERVATIVES AGAINST SIN. 



235 



and lays it open to all evils ; because God resists the proud, 
and withdraws his graces from them. 

Consider the dreadful punishments, which Lucifer and 
his companions have drawn upon themselves by this sin, 
and the bitter sentence it entailed upon our first parents, 
the effects of which are so severely felt by their posterity. 

Accustom yourself to both interior and exterior acts of 
humility, and contempt of yourself. Highly prize, and 
daily beg of God this necessary virtue ; and willingly em- 
brace humiliations, as often as they are offered. 

With regard to the things which most commonly nourish 
your pride, consider how Tittle reason you have to be proud 
of them. They are generally things empty and vain, fading 
and perishable ; such as worldly honors, riches, beauty, 
fine clothes, &c. They give no intrinsic value or worth to 
those who enjoy them, nor make them in the smallest de- 
gree better ; but on the contrary, if they are proud of them, 
they render them odious and contemptible, to both God 
and man. As to any real and solid goods which you may 
have, you must ever remember whose gifts they are, and 
what a strict account you must, one day, give of them ; 
that humility is the best ornament and guardian of them ; 
and that pride will not only make them useless, but even 
pernicious, to yourself, and to others. 

Thoroughly to be convinced of your guilt of this sin, is 
a great help towards overcoming it. Many will not believe 
they are proud, and these certainly are in a very dangerous 
state. For how can a person be persuaded to seek reme- 
dies to an evil, the existence of which he does not admit. 

AGAINST VAIN-GLORY. 

VAIN-GLORY, which is nearly related to pride, is an 
inordinate desire and love of being praised and es- 
teemed by others. Consider seriously how short, how in- 
constant, how empty and vain, is all human glory, and all 
the praise and esteem of men. They add nothing to us in 
the sight of God, who is the just, true, and eternal Judge 
of all merit. What we are in his sight, that only is what 
we are in reality, and nothing more. 

Consider how great and how pernicious an evil vain- 
glory is. It robs God of his glory, and man of the reward 
of his good works. It corrupts the best actions, and 
makes the actors liable to the divine vengeance. Besides, 
what a brood of vices does not vain-glory produce ! Envy, 



286 



PRESERVATIVES AGAINST SIN. 



detraction, contention, hypocrisy, love of novelty, disobe« 
dience, generally accompany it. 

Often repeat to yourself that saying of the apostle — 
" What hast thou that thou hast not received ? And if 
thou hast received, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst 
not received it ?" 1 Cor. iv 7. 



V A RICE, or Covetousness, is an inordinate love and 



J\ desire of riches, or worldly goods. To guard against 
this vice, often meditate on the danger and pernicious con- 
sequences of this vice, which St. Paul calls i 'the root of 
all evils:" 1 Tim. vi 10. He affirms, also, that "they 
who will become rich, fall into temptation, and into the 
snares of the devil, and into many unprofitable and hurtful 
desires, which drown men in destruction and perdition:" 
v. 9. The wise man tells us, that " nothing is more 
wicked than to love money, because such a man will sell 
his very soul :" Eccles. x 10. And our Saviour himself 
assures us, that "no man can serve God and Mammon:" 
St. Matt, vi 24. 

Remember that these riches, which worldlings so much 
covet, if you form a judgment of them by the light of 
faith and the maxims of the gospel, are more to be feared 
than desired, because of the many occasions of sin to 
which they commonly expose the soul. Hence our Sa- 
viour exclaims, "Wo to you that are rich, for you have 
your consolation," (St. Luke vi 24 ;) and declares, that "it 
is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, 
than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven:" 
St. Matt, xix 24. 

Place before your eyes the example of Christ, w r ho chose 
to be born in poverty, and to die in poverty, though he 
was the Lord of all. His chief favorites were chosen 
from among the poor and despised. These he pronounces 
blessed. (St. Luke vi.) Consider the treasures of a happy 
eternity, which he has prepared for the "poor in spirit." 
St. Matt. v. And often reflect upon that sentence — 
" What doth it profit a man if he gain the whole world, 
and lose his own soul?" St. Matt, xvi 26. Frequently 
reflect on death. It will soon strip you of all you possess. 
In separating you from your riches, the pain it w r ill inflict 
will be severe in proportion to the ardor with which your 
heart has cleaved to them. '* They have slept their sleep, 



AGAINST COVETOUSNESS. 




PRESERVATIVES AGAINST SIN. 237 

and the men of riches have found nothing in their hands." 
Ps. lxxv 6. " We brought nothing into this world, and 
certainly we can carry nothing out ; but, having food and 
covering, with these we are content." 1 Tim. vi 7. 

Consider, that the riches of this world, which the gos- 
pel calls deceitful, disturb the soul with many cares, anxie- 
ties and solicitudes, and, instead of satisfying, increase its 
thirst. Whereas a competency for the support of this 
transitory life may be obtained without all this solicitude, 
truth itself having engaged his word. " Seek ye therefore 
first the kingdom of God, and his justice ; and all these 
things shall be added unto you." St. Matt, vi 33. Hence, 
" Let your manners," says the apostle, "be without ava- 
rice, contented with such things as you have ;" for he has 
said, " I will not leave thee, neither will I forsake thee." 
Heb. xiii 5. 

The rich who are hard and unmerciful to the poor ought 
to be mindful of the last judgment, and of the sentence 
which shall then be pronounced against such as have not 
done alms. They should remember, that mercy is pro- 
mised to the merciful, but "judgment without mercy to 
him that hath not showed mercy," (St. James ii 13 ;) that 
the poor are the members of Christ, and that what we do 
to them he takes as done to himself. (St. Matt, xxv.) 

On the other hand, the poor, who are uneasy at their 
condition, and are tempted to covet what the world calls a 
better fortune, ought often to set before their eyes their 
Saviour, either in the crib of Bethlehem, or on the cross 
upon Mount Calvary, and, contemplating his poverty, em- 
brace theirs as the badge of Christ. % 

But it is the common misfortune of the covetous, whe- 
ther they be rich or poor, not to believe that they are 
covetous, but to delude themselves under the specious 
cover of pretended necessities. The first and most neces- 
sary prescription, therefore, against avarice, is, that you 
study and know yourself, and, by humble, fervent prayer, 
obtain this self-knowledge from God, without which, it is 
to be feared, all other remedies will prove ineffectual. 

AGAINST LUST. 

LUST is an inordinate love of carnal pleasures. To de- 
fend yourself against this subtle vice, shun all the oc- 
casions of it. — such as immodest books and plays, wanton 
caresses, indiscreet freedoms, &c, and most particularly, 



238 



PRESERVATIVES AGAINST SIN. 



bad company, and all conversation with persons with whom 
you have sinned. 

Avoid idleness, and be very temperate in eating and 
drinking. 

Keep a watch over your eyes, that death may not enter 
by them ; and resist with vigor the first beginnings of these 
temptations. 

Be diligent in all spiritual exercises — such as meditation, 
prayer, spiritual reading, frequenting the sacraments, &c. 

Think often upon the passion of Christ ; and, particu- 
larly in the time of temptation, have recourse to this 

meditation. 

Be devout to the Blessed Virgin, and to the Saints. 

Remember that God sees you, and that your guardian 
Angels are present with you ; and blush to do before them 
what you should blush to do in the sight of any man. 

Think of the dreadful punishments which God has so 
often inflicted on account of this vice; the many mischiefs 
it causes both to soul and body ; the blindness and hard- 
ness of heart it usually produces ; and, in fine, the ever- 
lasting torments of hell, which such sinners, without re- 
pentance, will be plunged into. 

Be very humble ; for it is frequently a judgment of God 
to suffer persons to fall into these shameful sins, in punish- 
ment of their pride. 

In time of temptation, turn away the eyes of your soul, 
as much as possible, from the temptation, and have imme- 
diate recourse to Christ crucified, and with all fervor im- 
plore his mercy, &c. 

AGAINST ANGER. 

AGAINST anger, hatred, and desire of revenge, you 
should endeavor to humble and despise yourself; for 
anger springs from pride. You should often remember 
what your sins have deserved, and how little reason you 
have to take it ill, that any of God's creatures should of- 
fend you, who have so often, and so grievously offended 
your Creator ; and who, if you had your just deserts, 
should be trampled on by devils for all eternity. 

Reflect on the meekness and charity of Jesus Christ ; 
who particularly calls upon all his followers to learn these 
virtues of -him : "Learn of me, because I am meek and 
humble of heart." St. Matt, xi 29. " I give you a new 
commandment, that you love one another, as I have xuveU 



PRESERVATIVES AGAINST SIN". 



239 



you." St. John xiii 34. And who so often declares, that 
except we forgive injuries from our hearts, God will never 
forgive us. 

Consider in the morning what occasions may probably 
occur in the day, in which you will be in danger of being 
provoked to anger. Decline the occasions ; or, if this can- 
not be done, prepare and arm yourself against them by 
good resolutions, grounded upon the love of God, and by 
earnest prayers for his divine assistance. 

When you find the motions of wrath rising in your heart, 
resist them without delay, and strive to suppress them, 
calling upon God for his help. If possible leave the com- 
pany, or at least be silent, or say nothing, but what may 
be meek and humble. 

In all occurrences consider, not so much the man, from 
whom you think you have received an injury or provoca- 
tion, as God, ever good, and ever just, without whose 
pleasure or permission nothing happens in this world, and 
who, upon these occasions, is pleased that we should be 
thus tried,*or chastised for our sins. 

How many motives have not Christians to love, and bear 
with, one another ? We are all children of the same Fa- 
ther, the God of love and peace, and of the same mother, 
the Church of God. We are all brethren in Christ. He 
has loved us all to such a degree as to shed his blood for 
us ; and in return for this love, he desires that we should 
love one another. We all partake of his body, and blood, 
in the sacrament of unity and love : we all aspire to the 
same heavenly country, the place of everlasting peace and 
love. And therefore it is with reason, our dying Lord made 
this love the true test, by which it is to be known, whe- 
ther we are his disciples or not ; " By this shall all men 
know that ye are my disciples, if you have love one for 
another." St. John xiii 35. 



labors, and afflictions of what kind soever, it is pro- 
per to set before your eyes the poverty, labors and passion 
of Jesus Christ, who by his patience redeemed us; to re- 
flect on the sufferings of the martyrs, and the examples of 
all the saints, who through many tribulations have entered 
into the kingdom of heaven : and to remember that there is 
no other way to that kingdom of everlasting rest and joy, 



AGAINST IMPATIENCE. 




poverty, sickness, pains, 



240 



PRESERVATIVES AGAINST SIN. 



but the way of the cross. The sufferings of this life bear 
no proportion with the happiness of the next. These light 
and momentary troubles, borne with patience, will work in 
you an eternal weight of glory. 

These sufferings are sent you from God. It is in vain 
to resist his holy will, and foolish and sinful to repine at it. 
His infinite wisdom knows what is best for you, and his 
infinite goodness sends you that which he knows to be the 
best : impatience will only make your cross the heavier, 
and make you lose the reward of it. 

Great indeed are the advantages of temporal afflictions. 
They wean us from the love of the world : teach us to 
have recourse to God, and put our trust in him alone. 
They make us enter into ourselves ; and give us an oppor- 
tunity of exercising the greater virtues of humility, patience, 
and resignation, and afford us the means of doing penance 
for our sins. How many are now Saints in Heaven, who 
would never have reached that blessed abode, except 
through affliction ? 

Meditate often, in the time of your sufferings, upon the 
multitude of your sins, and what you have deserved for 
them — upon the eternal torments of hell — upon the short- 
ness of the sufferings of this life, and the everlasting joys 
of heaven, to which patient suffering will bring you. 

In all your sufferings, have recourse to Jesus Christ 
crucified. Beg of him the grace of patience. Offer up all 
you suffer to him, to be united to his sufferings, and to be 
sanctified and accepted through him. " Lord, give me 
grace to suffer with patience what thou sendest, and send 
what thou pleasest." 

AGAINST GLUTTONY AND DRUNKENNESS. 

SINNERS addicted to gluttony, and drunkenness, 
should seriously consider the many evil consequences 
of these crimes. They change men into brutes ; rob them 
of their reason ; destroy their health ; shorten their lives ; 
and consume their substance. They disturb the peace of 
their families ; withdraw from their wives and children 
their necessary subsistence ; and give scandal and ill ex- 
ample to their neighbors. They foment their passions ; 
open the gate to all other sins ; make their souls dull, and 
insensible to all that is good ; unfit for prayer and contem- 
plation, and perfectly slaves to their sensual inclinations. 
So that, as we daily see, of all vices, there is none more 



PRESERVATIVES AGAINST SIN. 



241 



difficult to be cured. For, when these sins have once 
come to a habit, they generally follow men to their graves, 
and plunge them into hell. There, with the rich glutton, 
they will thirst for all eternity, and never obtain so much 
as one drop of water to refresh themselves. 

Let them often meditate upon the following sentences 
of holy writ : " Wo to you that are mighty to drink wine ; 
and stout men at drunkenness." Isaiah v 22. "Take 
heed to yourselves, lest perhaps your hearts be over- 
charged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and that day 
come upon you suddenly." St. Luke xxi 34. "Let us 
cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armour of 
light. Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in rioting 
and drunkenness," &c. Rom. xiii. 12. " Be not deceived, 
neither fornicators — nor drunkards — shall possess the king- 
dom of God." 1 Cor. vi 9. "The works of the flesh 
are manifest, which are fornication, drunkenness, revel- 
lings, and such like ; of which I foretell you, as I have 
before told to you, that they, who do such things, shall not 
obtain the kingdom of God." Gal. v 19. "Many walk, 
of whom I have told you often, and now tell you weeping, 
that they are enemies of the cross of Christ ; whose end 
is destruction, whose God is their belly," &c. Philip. 
iii 16. 

They should carefully shun the occasions of these sins, 
such as taverns and other public houses, feasts, drunken 
companions, &c, and should restrict themselves to a cer- 
tain quantity, not to be exceeded ; punishing themselves 
with fasting and abstinence, if they should transgress. 

By daily prayer and tears, they should beg of God. 
through the thirst which Jesus Christ suffered upon the 
cross, and the gall and vinegar which he took, to show 
mercy to them, and to deliver them from such wicked and 
pernicious habits. 

AGAINST ENVY. 

"TT^NVY is a repining at another's good, which the 
JUj envious man conceives to be an evil to himself, as 
lessening the excellence and esteem at which he aims. 
So that envy, though commonly reckoned amongst the 
capital sins, on account of the many other sins that spring 
from it, is, indeed, a daughter of pride and vain-glory. 
Consider the heinousness of this sin, which is directly 
opposite to charity, the queen of virtues. For charity 

21 



242 



PRESERVATIVES AGAINST SIN. 



rejoices at the glory of God and the good of our neigh- 
bor ; but envy grieves at both the one and the other. 

Reflect on the dreadful consequences of this sin, when 
once it has dominion in the heart. It was envy that made 
Cain murder his brother Abel. It was envy that made 
the brethren of Joseph sell him into Egypt. It was envy 
that made Saul so often seek the life of David. It was 
Through envy that the Jews crucified Christ. It is the sin 
of the devil, who continually seeks our ruin, out of pure 
envy, without any advantage to himself. 

Consider, that the nature of this sin is such, as to yield 
no manner of pleasure or profit to the sinner ; but only to 
gnaw and torture his soul, and to make him miserable 
here, and hereafter. Ah ! how unhappy are they, who 
create evil to themselves on account of another's good; 
and how wilfully blind, to prefer the bitterness ; and 
racking pains of envy, before the joys and sweetness of 
charity. 

Lay the axe to the root of the evil, by applying proper 
remedies to pride and vain-glory, from which envy springs. 
Learn to despise this transitory world, and its petty honors, 
and to aspire after eternal glory. 

Watch and pray continually against so dangerous an 
enemy. Pray also for those whom you are tempted to 
envy, and speak well of them upon all occasions. 

AGAINST SLOTH. 

SLOTH, in the sense in which it is numbered by Di- 
vines among the capital sins, is a certain laziness of 
mind, opposite to the love of God and devotion. It is a 
loathing to begin or to continue such things as appertain to 
the glory of God, and our salvation. Against sloth it is 
proper to consider, how very short the time of this life is, 
which is given you in order to labour for eternity. How 
precious, then, is every moment of this short time, upon 
the good use of which, an endless eternity depends ! Ah ! 
lose not, then, one moment of it. Every moment is worth 
an eternity ; because, in every moment we may purchase 
an additional degree of eternal glory : but when once the 
time is passed, it never more re aims. 

Remember the strict account that will one day be de- 
manded of you, by an all-seeing Judge, of the manner in 
which you employed the whole time of your life ; and re- 
flect seriously on the sentence, that was passed upon the 



OF THE HOLY COMMUNION. 243 



barren fig-tree, and upon the slothful servant, that hid his 
talent in the ground. 

Set before your eyes the examples of Christ and of his 
saints ; and often read and meditate on their lives. 

Meditate also on such other subjects as may help to 
move you to the love of God, and to fervor in his service : 
such as considerations on the divine perfections ; on the love 
of God to us, and on his benefits ; on the passion of our 
Redeemer, and on the glory of his heavenly kingdom, pre- 
pared to reward your short labors here. 

Reflect upon the pains that worldlings take, and the 
danger they go through, for a little dirt of the earth: and 
shall not we do much more for a happy eternity ? 

Remember in all your actions, that the eye of your great 
master is ever upon you : and therefore labor to perform 
them all to perfection, in order to please him. 

Prescribe to yourself a regulation of your time, and a 
diversity in your good exercises, that thus you may make 
that easy and agreeable, which otherwise might be tedious 
and distasteful. 

— ♦ 



OF THE HOLY COMMUNION. 

THE most important and most holy action a man can per- 
form, is to receive worthily, the body of Jesus Christ 
in the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. The greatest favor, 
therefore, that can be granted him, is to communicate early 
in his life, and afterwards frequently. The first commu- 
nion, then, should be a principal object in the desires of 
every one. 

It should, moreover, be remembered, first ; that the 
obligation of receiving the holy Eucharist, at least at 
Easter, regards all those who have attained the age of 
discretion ; that is to say, the age when they are able to 
distinguish the body and blood of Jesus Christ, under the 
appearance of bread and wine, from the ordinary nourish- 
ment of the body ; or in other words, the age in which 
they are capable of reflection. 

Secondly; that purity of heart being the most proper 
disposition to receive Christ worthily, the less advanced the 



244 



OF THE HOLY COMMUNION. 



age is, the more untainted, m general, is the baptismal in 
nocence. 

Thirdly ; that the longer the first communion is put off, 
the greater fear there is, that either domestic occurrences, 
or the violence of the passions, should cause it still to be 
deferred to an advanced age, or, perhaps, to the very time 
of death. In short, the advice of the great St. Charles 
Borromeo, must be also remembered. " When children," 
says he, "of either sex have attained the age of ten, if 
they can be capable of being easily prepared for commu- 
nion, let them not be suffered to put it off any longer, 
which, under pretext of ignorance, is too often the case ; 
let them rather be prepared in good time, to receive a 
sacrament, which abounds with such precious, and inesti- 
mable advantages." 

With regard to frequent communion, follow the advice 
of your confessor ; and remember, that the spirit of Jesus 
Christ, and of his Church, is, that you should communi- 
cate frequently. He gives himself to us in the Eucharist, 
under the forms of bread and wine, to teach us, that as our 
common food serves to nourish our bodies, so doth the 
holy Eucharist support and fortify our souls. He assumes, 
in this blessed Sacrament, the titles of Brother, Friend, 
Spouse, &c, to induce us, by these tender, and affection- 
ate appellations, to receive him often. The spirit of the 
Church is made known to us, in the holy Council of Trent, 
which exhorts all the faithful to communicate often ; and 
would wish them to receive, whenever they assist at the 
divine Sacrifice of the Mass. To these testimonies may be 
also added, the discourses and examples of the saints, and 
the experience of all pious persons, which tend to convince 
us of the happiness and advantages of frequent commu- 
nion. 

But if it be advantageous to communicate frequently, it 
may also be said, that a greater crime cannot be committed, 
than to communicate unworthily ; this being a shocking 
abuse of what is most august in religion. To avoid this 
misfortune, reflect seriously upon these words of St. Paul, 
" Let a man prove himself, and so let him eat of this 
bread, and drink of the chalice ; for he that eateth and 
drinketh unworthily, eateth ana drinketh judgment to him- 
self, not discerning the body of the "Lord." Now this 
proving consists in putting yourself in such a state, that 
your conscience may not reproach you with any essential 



OF THE HOLY COMMUNION. 245 



obstacle to this Sacrament ; that is, with the guilt of any 
mortal sin whatever ; which you can answer tor to your- 
self, if you have made as exact, as fervent, and as perfect 
a confession, as you would wish to have made, at the hour 
of your death. You should certainly be thus careful and 
fervent, because there is not less purity required to re- 
ceive Jesus Christ, than to appear before God in judg- 
ment. 

Above all things, remember, that the essential point in 
this proving of yourself, is, to quit the occasions of sin, and 
to repair the scandal it hath caused; without which, the 
accusation of sin, and the detestation of it, are absolutely 
insufficient. 

But, this purity of conscience, which is exempt from 
mortal sin, and from every criminal attachment, though it 
may prevent the communion from being sacrilegious, is not 
enough to render it as fruitful, and as advantageous as it 
should be. The more you prepare yourself for this sacra- 
ment, the greater abundance of grace will you acquire. Be 
on your guard, then, against a fault so very common at 
present, which is, not to think seriously of approaching 
the holy table, till the very day preceding the communion; 
this is to receive without preparation, and consequently 
with scarce any advantage. Here, then, are some pious 
practices, which may be profitable. 

Fn'st, some days before your communion, perform all 
your actions and prayers, in order to obtain the graces ne- 
cessary for this important duty : offer them up in the 
morning with this intention; do some good works, such 
as an aims, an act of mortification, or a fast, with this 
same design. 

Secondly. Visit our Lord in the blessed Sacrament, 
morning and evening, on these days, to beg that he would 
himself, by his grace, dispose your heart to receive him 
worthily. 

Thirdly. Read some book that treats of the Blessed 
Eucharist — such as the fourth book of the Following of 
Christ. 

Fourthly. On the eve of your communion be more re- 
collected than usual: thinking often upon the happiness 
you are to have in receiving your God. Let this be your 
last thought at composing yourself to rest ; and let it be 
also the first you shall have at waking. 

Fifthly. Represent to your imagination, that your Angei 
21* 



246 



OF THE HOLY COMMUNION. 



Guardian addresses you in these words : — Behold the 
Spouse cometh, go forth now, and meet him ; rise as early 
as you can to receive the great guest who deigns to honor 
you with this visit. Keep a profound silence until you re- 
turn from Mass, and let it appear by your modesty, that 
you are deeply penetrated with the sanctity of this action. 

Sixthly. In short, whenever you go to your communion, 
have always in your mind some particular intention ; such 
as the acquiring of a virtue ; the overcoming of a tempta- 
tion ; the knowledge of God's will with regard to your- 
self; the relief of the souls of the faithful departed; the 
conversion of infidels, heretics, and sinners in general. 
Nothing is more capable of exciting fervor than some par- 
ticular end, to which all is referred. 

On the day that you communicate, you are required by 
the Church to be fasting from the midnight previous, in 
honor of the heavenly food that you are to receive. 

On the morning of your communion, go to church with 
modesty, and wholly occupied with the great action which 
you are to perform. If you are in church a good while be- 
fore the Mass, at which you are to receive the holy com- 
munion, entertain yourself with some pious consideration 
relative to this sacred mystery. You might, for example, 
reflect on these three questions : Who is coming ? To 
whom ? And for what purpose ? In the first, you may 
consider your Saviour under the various titles, which he 
has assumed for the love of mankind, viz., as the Father, 
Teacher, Physician, Shepherd, Redeemer, Friend and 
Spouse of your soul ; and see how perfectly he has fulfilled 
these titles, and fulfils them still, in the Blessed Eucharist. 
In the second, consider the corresponding titles in your- 
self; viz., of his Child, his Disciple, his Patient, his Sheep, 
his rescued Captive, his Friend and Spouse, and see how 
you comply with the duties annexed to these glorious 
names. In the third, consider the intentions of mercy and 
love, which bring him down from heaven, and detain him 
in this Sacrament, and the inexhaustible treasures of graces 
there opened to mankind; which, to be lavished on them, 
requires not any merit on their side, but only, that they 
would put no obstacle to his divine profusions. 

During the Mass at which you communicate, make the 
following acts, observing to recite them slowly and piously ; 
endeavoring to appropriate to yourself the sentiments ex- 
pressed therein, and deeply to impress your heart with 



OF THE HOLY COMMUNION. 247 



them. Make from time to time a little pause, especially 
when you find yourself much affected ; and, whenever you 
feel yourself interiorly drawn to pray mentally, lay your 
book aside, and yield to that attraction. 

When the time of communion has arrived, approach the 
Sanctuary with gravity and recollection, wholly intent upon 
the signal happiness you are about to receive. Kneel down 
at the railing, holding the communion-cloth under your 
chin, and when the Priest comes to you, elevate your head 
a little, opening your mouth and protruding the tongue 
sufficiently to receive the sacred host ; which ought to be 
swallowed as soon as it is moist. Then, collecting all the 
powers of your soul, adore and welcome the divine guest 
within you, and retire from the railing with a prolound 
sense of the eminent blessing that has been conferred 
upon you. 

The time immediately following the reception of the holy 
communion is most precious, and it is of the utmost im- 
portance that you spend well the happy moments, during 
which Jesus Christ is corporally present in your breast. 
When could you have so favorable an opportunity of ob- 
taining from him the graces and favors you have need of, 
as when he comes in person to visit you ? Be careful then 
always to spend about fifteen minutes after your commu- 
nion, in acts of adoration, praise, thanksgiving, love, obla- 
tion, petition, and in imploring the graces of God for your- 
self, do not omit to invoke the divine mercy upon all for 
whom you are bound to pray, and particularly the suffering 
souls of purgatory. The whole day after your communion 
be more retired than usual, spending more time in exer- 
cises of piety, and keeping a stricter guard over your senses, 
your thoughts and actions, lest the spiritual enemy deprive 
you in any way of the precious gift that you have received. 

MEDITATION 
On the Advantages and Conditions of frequent Communion. 

FIRST POINT. 

THOSE who have the inexpressible happiness of 
approaching the holy table frequently, should be 
extremely careful not to approach from habit, or with- 
out endeavoring to prepare themselves in the best 
manner possible. But, fear of receiving unworthily 



248 OF THE HOLY COMMUNION. 



should not lead us to the other extreme, and cause us 
to keep ourselves awa)~ from our divine Lord, contrary 
to the advice of our spiritual Father. To avoid these 
snares of the enemy, let us consider, that our Lord 
absolutely commands us to eat his body and to drink 
his blood, under pain of being deprived of life, (St. 
John vi 54,) that is to say, of the life of grace and of 
eternal glory : but, we must also weigh well the words 
of St. Paul, who forbids us to approach unworthily, 
under pain of eating and drinking our own condemna- 
tion, and of being guilty of the body and blood of our 
Lord. (1 Cor. xi 29.) These two oracles should be 
the infallible rule for communion: the first, considered 
separately, might inspire a dangerous confidence, and 
cause us to approach too often and with little prepara- 
tion ; the second, considered independently of the first, 
might inspire too great a fear, and cause us to deprive 
ourselves of this greatest of all blessings. Let us 
then be obedient to the first precept, which commands 
us to approach ; but, let us also be equally obedient to 
the second, which forbids us to approach unworthily. 
The error of considering these two precepts separately, 
has been the deplorable source of much loss and abuse 
of grace. In these two oracles is comprised a rule 
which we may follow without any fear of being de- 
ceived. We may be certain, that we cannot go to 
holy communion too often, provided we do all in our 
power to receive worthily. But, to communicate often, 
without laboring to correct our habitual faults, without 
endeavoring to overcome any attachment which we 
may have to any sin, without trying earnestly to at- 
tain to the perfection of our state of life, and without 
fervor and care in our preparation, is a dangerous de- 
lusion, and may lead the soul to a deplorable abuse 
of this holy and august sacrament. But, to allow a 
false humility, which is often a pretext for sloth, to 
prevent us from communicating often, although privi- 
leged to do so by our rule or by the advice of our di 



OF THE HOLY COMMUNION. 2^9 



rector, is an illusion no less dangerous ; because the 
soul being" deprived of its necessary support, becomes 
weaker and weaker, and may easily fall into a fatal 
state of tepidity, and into an almost entire forgetful- 
ness of God. In the time of St. Augustine, many of 
the faithful communicated every day, imitating in this 
the first Christians, who were in this holy practice, or 
at least, who communicated as often as they assisted 
at the Divine Sacrifice. This great Saint said, that 
he neither praised nor blamed those who communi- 
cated every day. However he exhorted all to go to 
communion every Sunday, provided they were not 
attached to any sin ; and, in one of his epistles, he 
says : " If any one falls into involuntary faults, he 
should not deprive himself of the daily remedy of the 
body and blood of Jesus Christ." St. Ambrose, ad- 
dressing the tepid Christians of his time, said : " This 
adorable sacrament is a daily bread, yet you receive it 
only once a year. You are every day exposed to many 
combats; whence do you receive the strength neces- 
sary to be victorious over your enemies 1 In these 
combats, you often receive wounds: when one is 
wounded, it is natural to have recourse to some re- 
medy — the devil is your enemy, sin is your wound ; 
and this divine sacrament is the remedy." 

It is certain, that it would not be well to say to the 
generality of Christians what this holy Doctor said to 
some pious souls : Receive every day that, which 
will, every day, be your nourishment and support ; 
but we may say to all, what the same holy Father 
added, whilst addressing the same chosen souls : Live 
in such a manner that you need not fear to receive this 
holy sacrament every day ; for, he who has not the 
dispositions to receive every day, may well mistrust 
his dispositions at the end of the year. 



/ 



250 OF THE HOLY COMMUNION. 



SECOND POINT. 

LET us consider with serious attention the advan- 
tages of holy communion, and also the disposi- 
tions requisite to receive it often. The first conside- 
ration will urge us to have frequent recourse to this 
Life-giving Bread ; the second will make us careful 
not to approach unworthily : the first will show us 
the inestimable blessings which are attached to fre- 
quent communion; the second, the dispositions with 
which we should approach, that we may not profane 
this adorable sacrament, or be deprived of any of the 
graces annexed to the worthy reception of it. A 
faithful soul that communicates frequently, becomes 
more and more detached from the world, and more in- 
timately united to God ; her faith becomes more lively, 
her hope more firm and more constant, her charity 
more ardent and more heroic. As she receives, in this 
adorable sacrament, the author and source of every 
grace, she is replenished with all the graces necessary 
to attain the perfection of her state. Whereas, with- 
out this divine nourishment, she would languish and 
at length die. Every devout soul will acknowledge 
that she feels herself much weaker when she has been 
a long time without this heavenly food; for, as the 
body feels its weakness when it has not taken the 
material food which is its nourishment and support, 
so is the soul much weaker when it has been some 
time without this divine food — its true nourishment 
and support. When we approach to the holy altar 
often and with fervor, we are strengthened against all 
the temptations to which we may be exposed. For, 
although the body and blood of our Divine Saviour 
ceases to be really present in our heart after the Sacra- 
mental species are consumed, he, however, still re- 
mains there in a special manner by his grace ; and 
the virtue of this sacrament — the most powerful and 
the most efficacious of all the sacraments — produces 



OF THE HOLY COMMUNION. 251 



wonderful effects, particularly in temptations against 
angelical purity : frequent communion being, as says 
a holy Doctor, the best support and guardian of this 
heavenly virtue. Frequent communion is also a safe- 
guard against an unprovided death ; for those who 
communicate often and with proper dispositions, are 
inspired with a sovereign horror for sin, and a holy 
ardor to keep their souls in the utmost purity. Fre- 
quent communion preserves us also from falling into 
a state of tepidity, and makes us strong to run in the 
paths of perfection. However, we must be extremely 
on our guard not to frustrate this powerful means of 
sanctification. To avoid so great a misfortune, we 
must free ourselves from all attachment to venial sin : 
this attachment is shown by the habit of it, by the 
little account made of it, and by the little care taken 
to correct it. 

This divine sacrament produces its effects in pro- 
portion to the degree of faith, purity and love with 
which the soul receives it. It always increases sanc- 
tifying grace in the soul which is free from mortal 
sin; but to the faithful and fervent soul, it gives a 
relish for God and the sweets of an interior life, and 
her union with God becomes more intimate, according 
to the frequency of her communions. 

The manner in which the Israelites eat the paschal 
lamb, indicates the detachment of heart which those 
should have who receive the holy eucharist — the im- 
maculate Lamb of God prefigured by the paschal 
lamb. The Israelites always eat the paschal lamb 
standing, and with their staffs in their hands, as pil- 
grims ready to leave all, who have no earthly attach- 
ment; because their whole affections were fixed on 
the land of promise, which they had in view. Heaven 
is our land of promise, our father's house ; and con- 
sequently, all the ardent desires of our heart should 
be directed towards it. 

Those who communicate frequently should, from 



252 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE COMMUNION. 



time to time, examine seriously what fruits they de- 
rive from this best of all graces ; and if they find that 
they are so unhappy as to be less fervent in prayer, 
more remiss in the performance of their duties, and 
that their hearts are less united to God, they must use 
their utmost endeavors to recover their former fervor, 
or refrain from communicating- so frequently. St. Au- 
gustine* says, that to approach this sacrament with an 
affection for venial sins, is more injurious than bene- 
ficial ; and that we will have to render a severe ac- 
count of such communions at the tribunal of our Lord* 
Besides being- detached from venial sin, we should 
keep ourselves, as much as possible, in the presence 
of God, and frequently raise our hearts to him : we 
are not worthy to receive our Lord so often, when we 
think of him but seldom, and when we neglect to en- 
tertain ourselves often with him in prayer. Cultivate 
then the spirit of an interior life, if you desire to reap 
the fruit of your frequent communions; and do not 
lose in dissipation the inestimable treasure you have 
acquired at the holy table, where you received the 
Bread of heaven, which gives that supernatural life 
so incompatible with a life of dissipation. Love God 
with all your heart, and your neighbor as yourself ; 
multiply sincere acts of the love of your God, and 
seek opportunities to manifest this love. 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE HOLY COMMUNION. 

The following, or similar Aspirations, may be used 
whilst preparing for Communion. 

/~\ MY blessed Mother, obtain for me some portion 
\Jr of those virtues which made thee so agreeable to 

* Or rather the ancient author of the book De Bogmati- 
bus Ecclesiasticis, among the works of St. Augustine. 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE COMMUNION. 



253 



God, as to draw upon thee the favor of being the 
Mother of our Jesus. Remember, it is the same Jesus 
that I am to receive ; and assist me in preparing my 
poor heart for his reception. 

O my good Angel ! it is your Lord, as well as 
mine, that I am going to receive ; help me to receive 
him worthily, &c. 

O my God ! I have in myself nothing worthy of 
thee, but I desire now, more than ever, to receive thee 
worthily; to have more faith, more hope, &c. 

O Jesus, my God ! I am not worthy to receive thee, 
on, account of my grievous and manifold sins, my in- 
numerable infidelities, and my little love for thee, &c. 
But say only the word, and my soul shall be healed. 
Thou canst, with one word, supply every thing that 
is wanting in me. Say it then, I beseech thee, my 
merciful Saviour. 

My sweet Saviour, I long to receive thee ; not only 
that I may be freed from my miseries, but chiefly that 
J may have the happiness of being united to thee : 
and since thou art so good as to desire to unite thyself 
to me, do thou thyself, I beseech thee, prepare me for 
the honor thou deignest to confer on me. 

On the morning of your communion, place yourself in 
the presence of God, invoke the intercession of the Blessed 
Virgin, your guardian Angel, your holy patrons and pa- 
tronesses, and all the Saints and Angels. Reflect that it 
may be your last communion. Were you certain it would 
be your last, with what devotion and recollection would 
you not prepare for it 

Verily thou art a hidden God, the God of Israel, the 
Saviour. Isaias xlv 15. 

The bread which I will give, is my flesh. St. John 
vi 52. 

f~\ MY Jesus ! true God and true Man, of the same 
\J substance, power and majesty with thy eternal 

22 



t 



254 DEVOTIONS BEFORE COMMUNION. 



Father; I believe, with a firm faith, that thou art 
truly and really present in this adorable sacrament. I 
believe it firmly, because, to believe it, I desire no 
more than thy own words, " This is my body." St. 
Luke xxii 19. I believe : O Lord, do thou increase 
my faith. 

II. 

You shall draw waters with joy out of the Saviours 
fountains. Isaias xii 3. 

Thou art God my Saviour. Psalm xxiv 5. 

OH ! what may I not hope for after receiving tl^e, 
my merciful Saviour ! With a single touch, or 
word, thou gavest hearing to the deaf, sight to the 
blind, speech to the dumb, the faculty of walking to 
the lame, health to the sick, and even life to the dead. 
Thou, therefore, may est now, my Lord and my God, 
as easily grant me whatsoever I want for soul or body ; 
thou comest to fill me with thy blessings. Come then, 
oh ! come, and4ielp my miserable soul. Behold how 
poor it is; it contains nothing fit for thy reception. 
Adorn it with all those virtues that will make it a ha- 
bitation in which thou wilt delight to dwell — a habi- 
tation less unworthy of thee. 

III. 

Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under 
my roof. St. Matt, viii 8. 

"V/TY Lord and my God ! how dare I, a vile sinner, 
It I presume to approach to thee 1 The heavenly 
spirits think themselves unworthy to stand in thy pre- 
sence — how then ought I, a worm of the earth, who 
have so often crucified thee by my sins, tremble to re- 
ceive thee into my breast ! Gh, my Lord ! I am not 
worthy ; but what more can I do to obtain pardon for 
my sins, but humbly confess them, and heartily re- 
pent of them. This, by thy grace, I desire to do, to 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE COMMUNION. 255 



the best of my power; and I wish I could do it more 
effectually. Oh, my God ! I am sorry for my sins; 
not so much for the punishment to which they have 
exposed me, as because sin is offensive to thee. I be- 
seech thee to deprive me of life rather than permit me 
ever again to displease thee by any wilful infidelity. 

IV. 

Be of good heart . . . They that are in health need not 
a physician, but they that are sick. Matt, ix 2, 12. 

"IfY Saviour ! I will then approach to thee, because 
If 1 my soul is sick and in need of the abundance of 
thy graces, and the multitude of thy mercies. I am 
subject to innumerable faults, tepid and inconstant in 
my duty to thee; but it is only thou, my adorable 
Physician, that canst remedy my miseries and my 
weaknesses ; thou who art the God of mercy and the 
bread that strengthens the soul. 

V. 

The earth was moved, and the heavens dropped at the 
presence of the God of Israel. Ps. lxvii 9. 
It is good to trust in the Lord. Ps. cxvii 9. 

SOVEREIGN Lord of heaven and earth, shall 
thy exalted grandeur discourage and confound 
thy unworthy creature I Shall I flee from the face of 
him in whose presence the pillars of heaven tremble, 
and before whom the angelic choirs are not found 
spotless ] No, omnipotent Goodness ! thou hast cre- 
ated my soul for thyself, and it can never be satisfied 
without thee ; and, though I tremble at the sight of 
my unworthiness, yet the remembrance of thy infinite 
goodness fills my soul with consolation and hope. I 
will then unite myself to thee, who art my Lord and 
my God, the Friend and. Saviour of my soul. Oh I 
send forth thy Spirit ; prepare thyself the heart thou 
>t chosen for thy tabernacle, and for the repository 




256 DEVOTIONS BEFORE COMMUNION. 



of thy sacred, adorable body. Like the idols of 
Egypt; let my passions fall prostrate and be annihi- 
lated at thy approach ; let the mountains of my pride 
crumble at the view of thy profound humiliation ; and 
let thy divine example teach me to be meek and hum- 
ble of heart, that in thee, and by thee, I may rind rest 
to my soul. 

VI. 

Deal with thy servant according to thy mercy. Ps. 
cxviii 124. 

Show forth thy wonderful mercies, Ps. xvi 7. 

~T"|T AVE mercy on me, God, according to thy 
JOL great mercy ; and, according to the multitude 
of thy tender mercies, purify my soul from every 
stain, from the least blemish ; adorn it with every 
virtue, that I may be less unworthy of thy inconceiva- 
ble condescension and goodness. In thee, Lord, 
have I hoped; let me never be confounded* Ps. xxx 1. 

VII. 

With desire I have desired to eat this pasch with you. 
St. Luke xxii 15. 

OMY Saviour ! what is a man that thou shouldst . . . 
set thy heart upon him, (Job vii 17;) and what 
am I, in particular, that thou shouldst assure me, with 
mercy and love peculiar to thyself, that thou desirest 
to eat this pasch with me ! Dost thou not know my 
heart] Is there one of its miseries hidden from thee ; 
or rather is not the deep abyss of its wretchedness 
known clearly to thee alone? my Saviour! thou 
art now peculiarly necessary to me ; and such is my 
unbounded confidence in thy infinite love, that I am 
resolved to approach to thee, notwithstanding my 
wretchedness — firmly persuaded that by so doing I 
shall second thy merciful designs. My Saviour ! 1 
long to be united to thee — to pour out my whole soul 



\ 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE COMMUNION. 257 

with contrition and love, like Magdalen, at thy sacred 
feet. O teach me how to desire, how to love, how to 
cleave to thee alone. grant that the study of my 
life may be to prepare thee a dwelling within my 
soul; the summit of my happiness, to receive thee; 
and all my comfort, to expect a repetition of thy mer- 
ciful visit. And, my adorable Saviour! let the 
fruit of my communions be such an increase of di- 
vine charity as may render every aspiration of my 
heart, and every movement of body and soul, an act 
of ardent love and union with thee in this most amia- 
ble mystery. 

VIII. 

As the hart panteth after the fountains of waters ; so 
my soul panteth after thee, God. Ps. xli 1. 

OMY sweet Saviour ! I am aware that I have no 
claims to address thee with the confidence with 
which I feel animated ; yet I am persuaded thou wilt 
pardon my presumption, since thou thyself inspirest 
me to tell thee what my wretchedness would other- 
wise forbid me to utter. Yes, I will call thee my 
dearest Love ; for, every power of my soul, and even- 
feeling of my heart, tells me that thou art essentially 
love, and peculiarly my Love. Come, then, adorable 
Love of my soul ! come, and let me, far removed from 
all creatures, enjoy thee as my soul desires, and be- 
come totally changed and transformed into thee. O 
my Jesus ! eternal Lover of my soul, fill my heart 
with divine charity ; and grant, that every earthly 
affection, every thing even in the least displeasing to 
thee, may be entirely consumed in its holy flames ; 
that, when thou enterest therein, I may say with truth 
that thou art all mine, and that I am all thine. 



22* 



v 



258 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE COMMUNION. 



IX. 

Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ? Acts ix 6. 

SOVEREIGN of my heart ! what wilt thou have 
me to do ? Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth, 
(1 Kings iii 9 ;) command, and let thy sweet accents 
be heard in the inmost recesses of my soul, that they 
may produce therein such fruits of virtue, as will at- 
tract the eyes of thy mercy, and gain thy compas- 
sionate heart. my Almighty Saviour ! thou canst 
do all things: by one glance thou canst banish all im- 
perfection from my soul. Grant then, I beseech thee, 
that when thou comest in thy adorable sacrament to 
me, who am altogether unworthy of the smallest of 
thy favors, I ma}' be thine unalterably and for ever. 

X. 

Come, Lord Jesus. Apoc. xxii 20. 

Sat/ to my soul : I am thy salvation. Ps. xxxiv 3. 

COME, my adored Lord ! come, and take posses- 
sion of my soul and body, of my will, memory 
and understanding, of all my thoughts, words and 
actions, of every look, step, breath and motion ; in 
line, of all that I am and have. Come, and deliver 
me from all my spiritual enemies. Come, and unite 
me indissolubly to thyself. Come, my God and my 
Saviour ! I long to be united to thee : I desire to re- 
ceive thee, in the best manner I can, into my poor 
heart ; come, take possession of it, and make it thy 
dwelling-place for ever. Amen. 

XI. 

Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, you shall 
not have life in you. St. John vi 54. 

As often as you shall eat this bread, . . . you shall 
show the death of the Lord, until he come. 1 Cor. xi 26. 

He that eateth my flesh . . . alideth in me, and I in 
him. St. John vi 57. 

MY Jesus ! I desire to approach thy holy table : 
first, because it is thy will that I should do so, 



ACTS BEFORE COMMUNION. 259 



to commemorate thy bitter death and passion, to be 
united to thee, and to draw thy blessing upon thy 
Church, my parents, our Superiors, our whole Com- 
munity, and on all religious institutions ; on the poor 
sick, dear little orphans, and all under our care ; upon 
all those for whom I have ever promised to pray ; 
those who pray for me, those for whom thou knowest 
I desire to pray, and upon all those for whom it is my 
duty to pray ; upon all mankind, and upon myself, 
thy unworthy servant; to obtain a full release for all 
the souls in purgatory, especially for any soul or 
souls of whose sufferings I may in any way be the 
cause. 

It would be advisable to read one or more chapters of 
the fourth book of the Following of Christ. We would 
recommend particularly the 2, 3, 4, 9, 13, 16 and 17th 
chapters. 

♦ 

ACTS BEFORE COMMUNION, 

WHICH MAY BE USED INSTEAD OF THE PRECEDING 
DEVOTIONS. 

TMAGINE that our Saviour invites you into the 
I same room in which he ate his last supper with 
his Apostles, to be a witness of the miracle he is there 
going to perform, and to give you communion with 
his own sacred hands. How fervent soever your sen- 
timents might have been on that solemn occasion, 
they ought not to be less so at present; for as he 
ordained that this divine food should be daily re- 
newed, for the nourishment of the faithful, till his 
second coming to judge mankind at the end of the 
world, so he gives himself no less to us at present 
than he did at that time to his Apostles. Take them 
now for your model. The accounts which we have 
in the gospel of this last mysterious supper, will fur 



260 



ACTS BEFORE COMMUNION. 



nish you with proper Acts for Communion. Read 
them attentively : make them your own, by reflec- 
tion ; and let them sink deeplyinto your heart. 

AN ACT OF ADORATION. 

The Gospel of St. Luke, chap, xxii informs us that our 
Saviour sat down, and his twelve Apostles with him, to 
eat the Paschal Lamb, or comply with the Supper of the 
Old Law, and institute that of the New in its 6tead. Who 
could be otherwise than astonished, at seeing a God permit 
his creatures, nay even his very enemies, to partake of his 
adorable body ? When he loved his own who were in the 
world, says his beloved disciple St. John, he loved them 
unto the end. But this was loving them, not merely to 
the end of his mortal life, but even beyond it — to the very 
end of ages — with the utmost excess and to the farthest 
limits of love. Contemplate, therefore, with the most 
attentive recollection, the excellence, the depth, and the 
extent of the boundless love of our divine Redeemer, of 
which this mystery is an epitome. 

/^10ULD we ever believe, Lord, or even imagine, 
that thy love for us was so excessive, had not 
thine own infallible word convinced us of its truth 1 
Hadst thou, when thou wert about to quit this world, 
left us thy adorable heart as a pledge of thy affection ; 
or hadst thou, when thy side was pierced, ordered thy 
precious blood to be distributed throughout thy Church, 
such favors would justly claim our most grateful ac- 
knowledgments. But this would not satisfy the extent 
of thy love : thou didst choose, in a godlike manner, 
to penetrate into the very centre of our hearts, and 
give thyself to each of us in particular, entirely, and 
for ever. With what amazement, then, must not the 
angels, and the whole hierarchy of celestial intelli- 
gences, have beheld such a prodigy ! Were they not, 
in some measure, jealous to see mankind thus uncom- 
monly favored 1 — But what didst thou discover in me, 
O Lord, that could thus attract thee? or what couldst 
thou possibly expect from my indigence] Can I be- 
come the dwelling-place of Him who is the delight 



ACTS BEFORE COMMUNION. 



261 



of the blessed 1 Alas! had I even the innocence of 
thy beloved disciple St. John, or the ardent love of 
thy zealous apostle St. Peter, I should then have some 
little claim to sit down at thy table ; but since I am 
removed at so great a distance from such holy dispo- 
sitions, vouchsafe, O Lord, to supply my deficiency 
by the effusion of thy grace. Whence is this favor to 
me, my merciful Redeemer] What is man, that 
ihou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou 
visited him ? Ps. viii 5. 

AN ACT OF DESIRE. 

Reflect on these tender words, which our Saviour pro- 
nounced immediately before the supper : With desire Ihave 
desired to eat this Pasch with you. Luke xxii 15. For, 
why should we not feel the most ardent desire to be united 
to our Lord in this Sacrament, when we see him so de- 
sirous to visit us, and take up his dwelling in our hearts ? 
Endeavor to excite this desire, by considering how much 
you stand in need of this bread of life, and by the great 
esteem this heavenly nourishment deserves. 

SINCE thou, Lord, art so prodigal of miracles, 
and obligest me to receive thee under such severe 
penalties, nothing can be more certain than that thou 
desirest to make my heart thy dwelling-place. With 
what fervent desires should I not, therefore, endeavor 
to co-operate with intentions so bountiful ! my all- 
sufficient God ! though thou standest in no need of 
me, yet thou hast compassion on my poverty. May, 
then, the efficacy of thy grace supply my indigence ; 
may it awaken every faculty of my soul, and render 
my desires to receive thee worthily, still more in- 
flamed : for though they are arrived at a certain anxiety, 
I am nevertheless sensible of their being too tepid. 
Alas, my Redeemer! why do I not sigh after thee 
with the same holy fervor as did the Patriarchs of the 
Old Law, who expected thy coming] Come, Lord, 
and do not delay. Remember, heavenly Physician, 
that Ihou canst not refuse thy all-healing balsam to the 



I 



262 



ACTS BEFORE COMMUNION. 



wounds of my soul, since thy motive for descending 
on earth was to heal the sins of men. Although I am 
needy and poor, yet thou canst enrich me. Although 
I am enslaved under the tyranny of my predominant 
passions, yet thou canst break my chains and set me 
at liberty : a single word of thine would be altogether 
sufficient to work these miracles in favor of one so un- 
worthy of thy corporeal presence, as I am. Speak it 
then, Sovereign Good, for I can no longer live with- 
out thee. Let blind and infatuated worldings intoxi- 
cate themselves with the false, transient, and fading 
happiness of this life : for my part, nothing besides 
thyself can content me, either in heaven or on earth ; 
for what have I in heaven, or what can I desire on 
earth, beside thee ] Come then, O thou Lamb of God, 
who takest away the sins of the world ! Come, thou 
beloved of my heart ! adorable flesh and precious blood 
of my Saviour ! Come, to nourish, comfort, and en- 
liven my sickly soul. O God of my heart! let me 
neither love, seek, nor think on any other object but 
thyself alone ; for thou alone art my consolation, my 
treasure, my joy, my life, my God, and my all ! My 
heart as eagerly desires to receive thee, as the wearied 
stag longs to quench his thirst in the fountains of 
water. (Ps. xli.) 

AN ACT OF FEAR. 

The Evangelist mentions, that when our Saviour de- 
clared to his disciples, that one of them would betray him, 
they were all exceedingly afflicted. Amen I say to you, 
that one of you is about to betray me. And they began 
every one to say: Is it I, Lord? (Matt, xxvi.) Let your 
hearts also give way, for a moment^ to the thoughts of that 
uncertainty which every one is in, of being in the state of 
grace : examine seriously your real dispositions, and have 
no other confidence than in the infinite mercy of God. 

IF the uncertainty of being worthy of thy love or 
hatred, O Lord, made even St. Paul, that vessel 
of election tremble, how much more reason have not 



ACTS BEFORE COMMUNION. 



263 



I to apprehend lest some concealed sin, lurking in my 
heart, might obstruct the salutary influence of those 
graces, which thou hast prepared for them that worthily 
receive thee in this divine Sacrament] May not I 
perhaps, like another Judas, give thee the kiss of 
peace to-day, and basely betray thee to-morrow ] or, 
instead of coming to visit me, as a faithful disciple, 
dost thou not rather come, with horror and indigna- 
tion, as to a concealed enemy ] How can I answer 
for the integrity of my confession, the fervor of my 
contrition, or the sincerity of my resolutions 1 Is it 
not custom, or human respect, that brings me to the 
foot of thy Altar ] Have I not still some favorite at- 
tachment'? and in the resolution I have made of re- 
linquishing my evil habits, have I not spared some 
favorite, though dangerous passion? With the same 
heartfelt anguish as thy disciples experienced on the 
like occasion, I ask thee, Lord: Is it I? But the 
most abominable traitor Judas asked thee the same 
question. Ts not my anxiety, as his was, only false 
and apparent ] 'Tis this thought, O my God, that 
terrifies me ; and it is to thyself alone I have recourse 
to preserve me from so horrible a sacrilege. No ; 
thou wilt never permit me to be guilty of so horrid a 
profanation, since thou seest there is no evil I dread 
so much. Wherefore, my dear Saviour, after being 
as diligent as I could in my preparation to receive 
thee, I now rest entirely on thy infinite mercy. De- 
part from me ; for I am a sinful man, Lord. Luke 
v 8. Son, be of good heart; thy sins are forgiven thee. 
Matt, ix 2. 

AN ACT OF CONTRITION. 

By our Saviour's washing the feet of his disciples, to 
prepare them for this new supper, (And he began to wash 
the feet of the disciples, and to wipe them with the towel, 
wherewith he was girded. John xiii ; ) we are taught not to 
confine ourselves merely to detesting those grievous sins 
which give death to the soul ; because we see that the dis- 



264 



ACTS BEFORE COMMUNION. 



ciples were obliged to undergo this ceremony, though 
Christ already had declared them pure, and in the state of 
grace: (You, said he, are already clean :) but we should 
also endeavor to purify our souls as much as possible from 
even the slightest stains of venial sins, which is signified 
by the washing of the feet of his disciples. 

TO transform a soul so defiled as mine, into a state 
of innocence and purity, must be the work of the 
right hand of the Most High. Ah, my God ! I shall 
never be able to discover any vestige of that precious 
innocence which makes a soul so lovely and accepta- 
ble in thy sight, unless I trace back my whole life to 
the days of my childhood. But although I have had 
the misfortune to forfeit my baptismal innocence by 
sin, yet there remains for my consolation this sure 
anchor, whereby I may hope to regain thy favor, 
grounded on thy infallible promise, viz., That thou 
wilt never despise a contrite and humble heart. 

But if even the enormity of my sins had not ex- 
posed me to thy wrath, and consequently to the eter- 
nal pains of hell, yet would I nevertheless sincerely 
detest them. my God ! do not upbraid me with 
mine iniquities, they are always in my sight ; and the 
bitterness of my regret for having committed them, 
shall serve as a continual punishment of my base- 
ness. Ah, my Redeemer ! though I cannot suffer such 
an excessive degree of anguish as thou didst during 
thy agony in the garden of Gethsemani, when, in a 
bloody sweat, thou didst offer thyself as a victim to 
the Eternal Father ; yet I am fully determined to suf- 
fer with patience every cross or affliction which may 
fall in my way, as well in atonement for the sins I 
have hitherto committed, as to prevent me from future 
relapses. Assist me with thy grace, O Lord, and re- 
move every occasion of sin at a distance from me ; 
and as I dread no evil so much as that of offending 
thee, rather cut the thread of my life, than suffer me 
again to commit a deliberate sin. my amiable Sa- 



ACTS BEFORE COMMUNION. 



265 



viour ! inflamed with thy love, I am fully resolved to 
avoid every fault that may in the least displease thee, 
or diminish the influence of thy graces. Although I 
have a well-grounded confidence that my soul has 
been cleansed in the sacrament of Penance, still I de- 
sire to be wasted more and more from my iniquities. 
Create a clean heart in me, God ; and renew a right 
spirit within my bowels. Psalm 1 12. 

AN ACT OF HUMILITY. 

Reflect on these words : And he gave it to his disciples, 
and said : Take ye, and eat, d/C. It must have been a great 
cause of contusion to the Apostles, when they beheld their 
Saviour distribute to them his sacred body, not merely 
that they might honor and adore it, or that they might 
preserve it as an inestimable relic, but that they might 
make it their food. Be thou also penetrated with the most 
profound humility. 

XT' HAT am I, God of majesty and glory, or 
f T who am I, that thou shouldst deign even to 
look on me ] Whence am I honored with so unspeak- 
able a favor, as that my Lord and my God should 
come and visit in person so miserable a sinner and 
vile a worm of the earth ? , How dares a being more 
contemptible than nothing, approach so holy a God, 
eat the bread of Angels, and feed on thy divine flesh 1 
Ah, Lord ! it is too much : 1 am not worthy of so 
great a favor ; I shall never, no, never deserve it. 

King of heaven and earth ! adorable Sovereign ! 
the Author and Preserver of the universe ! behold, I 
annihilate myself before thee, protesting that I would 
humble myself as much for thy glory, as thou dost 
here for my salvation. I acknowledge, with the 
most profound respect, the infinite grandeur of thy 
divine Majesty, and my own miserable baseness. The 
contemplation of the one and the other fills me with 
inexpressible confusion. Can I possibly say more, 
my dear Saviour, than to confess with the utmost hu- 
mility, in the words of the Centurion, Lord, I am not 



266 ACTS BEFORE COMMUNION. 

worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof ; but only 
say the word, and my soul shall be healed. 

AN ACT OF FAITH. 

In consequence of the words pronounced by our Saviour, 
when he consecrated the bread and wine-*- TAis is my body, 
<J-c. This is my blood, d/C. — the Apostles received, what 
Christ then gave them as his real body and blood. Do thou 
now, in like manner, make a most lively act of faith in the 
real presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Eucharist. 

SINCE thou, omnipotent God, whose almighty 
words are creative, productive, and effective; 
since thou, O eternal Truth, who canst neither de- 
ceive nor be deceived; since thou, I say, hast declared 
that thou art really aud actually present, under the ap- 
pearance of material bread, I therefore implicitly be- 
lieve it ; for, what greater proof can I require of the 
truth of this mystery, than thine own infallible word 1 
Yes, my dear Saviour, I openly confess, and am in- 
wardly convinced, that it is thou thyself I am going 
to receive; thou, who, for my sake wast born in a 
manger; thou, w T ho, for my redemption, didst die 
on a cross, and who, though now gloriously seated on 
thy heavenly throne, still continuest on earth, under 
the sacramental veils, to feed and nourish the souls 
* of men. Were I to behold thee with my corporal 
eyes, and examine the impressions of the wounds 
thou didst receive in thy sacred hands and side, as 
St. Thomas did, still I could not say with more confi- 
dence than I now do, that thou art my Lord, and my God. 
I do not demand a miracle, as a proof of thy real pre- 
sence : no, Lord, let me rather have the whole merit 
of faith ; for thou hast said : Blessed are they that have 
not seen, and have believed. Wert thou therefore to 
speak to me from this very tabernacle, the voice would 
affect me less than that which resounds in thy Gospel 
and thy Church, founded by thyself, and propagated 
in a miraculous manner. Though to my senses it ap- 
pears to be bread, yet, submitting them entirely in 



ACTS BEFORE COMMUNION. 267 



obedience to divine faith, I answer, it is thy real body 
and blood, accompanied by thy soul and divinity. In 
this faith I am determined to live and die ; and were 
I to suffer a thousand martyrdoms in testimony thereof, 
I am persuaded that, with the help of thy grace, I 
would remain immovable. Verily thou art a hidden 
God, the God of Israel the Saviour. Is. xlv. / do be- 
lieve, Lord ; help thou my unbelief. Mark ix. 

When about to communicate, let your heart be pene- 
trated with a lively sense of the actual presence of your 
divine Saviour, and at the same time endeavor to recollect 
the different passages of Scripture above quoted, they 
being, as it were, an abridgment of the foregoing acts. 
You may also reflect on the words, " May the body of our 
Lord Jesus Christ preserve thy soul unto life everlasting,' ' 
which the priest pronounces at the moment he gives you 
the blessed Sacrament ; because they imply that the end 
purposed in communicating is not simply to abide in a cer- 
tain regularity of conduct for a few months, weeks, or 
days ; but to persevere faithfully, to the very hour of 
death, in that state of grace to which a worthy participa- 
tion of this divine Sacrament shall now raise you. 

AX ACT OF HOPE. 

SINCE thou vouchsafest to come and dwell within 
me, my Redeemer, what may I not expect from 
thy bounty ! I therefore present myself before thee 
with that lively confidence which thy infinite good- 
ness inspires. Thou not only knowest all my wants, 
but thou art also willing and able to relieve them. 
Thou hast not only invited me, but also promised me 
thy gracious assistance : Come to me, all you that labor 
and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. Behold, 
then, O Lord, I accept thy gracious invitation : I lay 
before thee all my wants, my misery, and my blind- 
ness; and confidently hope, without the fear of being 
disappointed, that thou wilt enlighten my understand- 
ing, inflame my will, comfort me in the midst of such 
crosses or afflictions as thou hast appointed I should 
suffer, strengthen me in all temptations and trials, and 



269 



PRAYERS BEFORE COMMUNION. 



with the powerful assistance of thy grace, change me 
into a new creature; for, art not thou, God, the 
master of my heart ] and when shall my heart be more 
absolutely disposed of by thee, than when thou shalt 
have once entered into it ? . 



PRAYERS 

WHICH MAY BE SAID DURING VISITS TO THE BLESSED 
SACRAMENT, OR BEFORE HOLY COMMUNION. 

L 

Come to me, all you that labor, and are heavy laden, 
and I will refresh ycu, St. Matt, xi 28. 

f \ MY Divine Saviour ! how amiable is tbis invi- 
\J tation of thy infinite mercy ! When I listen to 
these endearing" words, and reflect on the loving ten- 
derness from which they spring, my soul is penetrated 
with the most unbounded confidence in thee, who art 
my life and my mercy. Burdened and heavy laden, 
I nee to thee, and implore a remedy for such wounds 
as thou alone canst heal ; for such miseries as thou 
alone canst clearly know, and sincerely compassionate. 

II. 

"T^"^HO art thou, O my sovereign Lord! and what 
H am I ? As for me, I am nothing, or rather 
worse than nothing ; for I have had the misfortune to 
offend thee, to abuse thy graces, and grieve thee by 
innumerable sins, of which my life has been but one 
sad series. But in thee, adorable, omnipotent, self- 
existing Being! dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead, 
Col. ii 9. Thou art most beautiful, incomprehen- 
sible, adorable, ineffable in all thy infinitely amiable 
perfections ; supporting, filling and overshadowing all 
things ; thou dwellest in the highest heavens, yet 
willingly descendest into the wretched mansion of 



PRAYERS BEFORE COMMUNION. 269 



my miserable heart. But remember, O adorable Sa- 
viour ! that during thy mortal life thou wert denomi- 
nated the friend of sinners, (St. Luke vii 34,) in which 
capacity I have claims on thee, superior to those of 
all others. Attracted by thy loving invitation, I come ; 
and as thou hast called, thou wilt not reject me, or re- 
fuse those graces which thou art more anxious to be- 
stow than I am to receive. 

III. 

O DIVINE Goodness ! thou didst descend on earth 
to fulfil all justice, and thy sacred life proves thy 
mission to have been perfectly accomplished ; thy con- 
duct towards men is still equitable, infinitely just, 
But what do I say] Surely, in the excessive profu- 
sion of graces and favors heaped on all mankind, and 
particularly on me, thy most unworthy servant, thou 
hast not consulted the dictates of justice ; but hast 
rather listened to the voice of thy tenderest mercies. It 
is likewise said of thee, that, thou wilt render to every 
man according to his works, (St. Matt, xvi 27 :) but, 
O ineffable Goodness ! hadst thou done so with me, I 
should long since have been buried in hell, and de- 
prived of thy love — a punishment far more dreadful 
than all the evils of the world united. Yes, Lord ! 
thou wouldst have treated me according to my works, 
hadst thou punished my long insensibility to the 
charms of thy love, by eternal banishment from thy 
adorable presence — that presence which constitutes 
the felicity of the blessed ; for the heart that loves 
thee not, is deserving of ten thousand hells. But, O 
boundless Mercy ! thou hast acted far otherwise : con- 
sulting only the dictates of thy ever-compassionate 
heart, thou didst earnestly pursue me, when I thought- 
lessly fled from thee. When my heart, distracted and 
divided among creatures, forgot thee, its only repose 
and solid happiness, thou didst not forsake, but didst 
sweetly and unceasingly urge me to return, and be 



i 



270 prayers before communion. 



solely thine. How merciful has heen thy conduct 
towards me, my dearest Lord ! Not on me, but on 
thy adorable self, was exercised all the rigor of thy 
justice — on thee was the chastisement of our peace, and 
by thy bruises we are healed, Isaias liii 5. After 
such mercies, shall indifference or tepidity actuate my 
conduct towards thee ] No, most amiable Jesus, who 
hast done and suffered so much for me ; no, super- 
abundant source of mercy and grace ; no, I will hence- 
forward faithfully love and serve thee, and confidently 
hope for those eternal rewards, those inconceivable 
joys, thou hast purchased for me by thy bitter death 
and passion. 

IV. 

I KNOW, my Divine Saviour ! that thou desirest 
me to approach thee, for thou remainest on this 
altar for no other purpose than to invite, console, 
nourish, strengthen and sanctify the children of men. 
Oh ! why then dost thou permit my- infidelities to 
place a barrier between thee and me ] Why dost thou 
allow imperfection and sin to remove from thee, one 
to whom thou offerest the life-giving nourishment of 
thy precious body, and whom thou invitest to the 
most intimate communications with thee 1 ador- 
able Sanctity ! purify me, I conjure thee, from every 
stain : have no compassion on my pride and self-love : 
plunge, deeply plunge into my guilty soul the sword 
of the liveliest contrition, and the bitterest regret ; for, 
every species of torment will be most welcome, pro- 
vided it be followed by the possession of thee. 

V. 

COME, my sovereign Life and supreme Good ! 
the door of my heart is open to receive thee, and 
I languish with desire, in expectation of thy merciful 
visit. Come ; for, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick, 
St. John xi 3 ; and it is only thy presence that can 
restore him to health and animation. Come, O be- 



PRAYERS BEFORE COMMUNION. 271 

loved and amiable Physician! for I well know, if thou 
wilt thou canst make me clean, St. Matt, viii 2. 
Come, and in the voice of omnipotence call me forth 
from the sepulchre of sin and death, and in my re- 
newed life let all the world see and admire how much 
thou hast loved me. Come, that I may pour all the 
miseries of my soul into thy compassionate and mer- 
ciful heart. 

VI. 

ALAS, my Divine Lord ! how can I live in this 
valley of tears, if not animated, if not supported 
by thee 1 and how shall I presume to approach thee 
in thy adorable sacrament, impure and faithless as I 
ami O my Jesus ! purify me by whatever means 
thou pleasest, but let not the privation of thy sacred 
presence in the sacrament of thy love, be the punish- 
ment of my transgressions. I am not ignorant of my 
poverty, wretchedness and misery; no, my divine Sa- 
viour ! I am well convinced, that I am nothingness 
itself, and worthy of universal contempt. But thou 
earnest on earth, not to call the just, but sinners to re- 
pentance. Call me then to thee, O my adorable Re- 
deemer! call me to thee in that tone of absolute 
authority, which originally drew me forth from no- 
thing. Let the entire conquest of my heart be the 
triumph of thy irresistible power ; let my innumerable 
miseries be the seat and throne of thy boundless 
mercy ; and in those adorable arms, extended to re- 
ceive all, let me find a refuge from my enemies, and 
from the wiles and deceits of my own self-love. 

VII. 

OMY God ! when shall I have the happiness of 
being united to thee ? When shall I be deaf to 
every other sound but that of thy sweet voice, and in- 
sensible to every other feeling but that of thy love 1 
O my Jesus ! friend and Saviour of my soul ! while 
a happiness not conferred on Angels is within my 



» 



272 DEVOTIONS AFTER COMMUNION. 

reach ; -while thy inconceivable mercy induces thee 
to give thyself to me, grant that I may never cease to 
run after thee to the odor of thy ointments, and thou 
may est be my dearest in delights. O my God and Sa- 
viour ! remove, I beseech thee, every obstacle which 
retards my bliss ; burst every bond which ties me to 
myself, or to creatures. 

VIII. 

OHOLY Bread, which strengthenest the heart of 
man : whoever eateth thee, shall live for ever ; he 
who doth not eat thee shall not have that life. St 
John vi 54 — 59. How lovely are thy tabernacles, 
Lord of hosts.' My soul longeth for thee, Sion, City 
of our God! My soul thirsts for thee, my God, thou 
Fountain of life eternal ! I am, I know, sinful, poor 
and wretched ; but I call on thee, my Almighty Re- 
deemer. do take me up, and cast me into the seal 
into the sea of that blood which was shed for me . 
cover me with thy merits ; support my weakness until 
my soul, having in the strength of this divine food, 
travelled unsullied through the desert of this danger- 
ous world, is, in thy Father's house, for ever united 
to thee its God and Saviour. Amen. 

— ♦ — 

DEVOTIONS AFTER COMUNION. 

Having received your Divine Saviour, cast yourself, in 
spirit, at his sacred feet ; speak to him with your heart ; 
acknowledge your unworthiness, your incapability to adore, 
love or thank him as he deserves ; and remain, at least, for 
some moments, in humble, grateful and loving silence. 

My God ! my Jesus ! is it thou 

Art rilling thus my heart with bliss ? 
Tell me, art thou within me now ? 

Hast thou bestow' d a boor, like this? 
Yes, stooping from thy heaven above, 

Thou wilt not dwell from us apart ; 
Thy dearest throne, thou mak'st, through love, 

The tabernacle of our heart. 



DEVOTIONS AFTER COMMUNION. 273 



I. 



Whence is this to me ? St. Luke i 43. 
OODNESS inconceivable! I cast myself at thy 



love and thank thee, not as much as thou deservest, 
for this is impossible : but, as much as I am capable. 
My Jesus, my divine Saviour within me ! God of 
infinite goodness ! thou seest how incapable I am of 
acknowledging, or even feeling the extent of thy con- 
descension, or of my happiness. Accept then, my 
adored Lord ! accept thy own merits — thy own divine 
person, in thanksgiving for all thy mercies; and, in 
union with thy own merits and thy own divine per- 
son, permit me to offer thee my heart, which ardently 
desires to honor thee in this abode — so unworthy of 
thee. 



God himself will come, and will save you. Then 
shall the eyes of the blind be opened ; and the ears of the 
deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap 
as a hart ; and the tongue of the dumb shall be free : 
for waters are broken out in the desert, and streams in 
the wilderness. Isaias xxxv 4, 5, 6. The land that was 
desolate . . . shall be glad ; and tM wilderness . . . shall 
bud forth and blossom : . . . the glory of Lib anus is given 
to it, and the beauty of Carmel and Saron, Isaias xxxv 
1, 2: the Holy One of Israel. Isaias xii 6. 



{Cant, in 4.) My heart hath received its trea- 
sure, the dearest object of its affections. Yes, my 
Jesus is mine — entirely mine. What more could 1 
ask? What more could I ambition? For what have 
I in heaven ? and besides thee what do I desire upon 
earth? Ps. lxxii 25. Love! consuming Love! 
stronger than death, {Cant, viii 6 ;) my heart is now 
the altar on which thou burnest. Let me feel in the 




ardently desires to adore, 



II. 




found him whom she loves. 



\ 



274 DEVOTIONS AFTER COMMUNION. 

inmost recesses of my soul, thy all-reviving fire; in- 
flame, transform, and absolutely destroy within me, 
every atom of sin or imperfection. Eternal Wisdom ! 
thou alone knowest the value of these precious mo- 
ments of thy actual presence in my heart. Oh ! assist 
me thyself to profit by thy stay ; teach me, by un- 
bounded confidence and ardent love, to obtain from 
thy merciful heart the blessings thou art come on pur- 
pose to bestow. O my God, my Saviour, and only 
Love! thou hast not entered the wretched dwelling 
of my heart, to be a spectator only of all its miseries. 
No, I feel that thou art come to deliver, enrich and 
sanctify me. Oh ! inspire me thyself with the dispo- 
sitions thou requirest for executing in my soul thy 
merciful designs. Stay with me, O beloved Lord ! 
stay with me ; for the day is now far spent, and the 
evening of life approaches, (St. Luke xxiv 29 ;) stay 
with me, I conjure thee, for I have yet a thousand 
woes to expose to thee, the God and Saviour of my 
soul. Thou well knowest that I do not seek to hide 
from thee the deep wounds of my heart. No, my 
sweetest consolation is to expose them to thy view, to 
lay open to thee my whole soul, and pour all my sor- 
rows into the sacred heart of a God, who never yet 
beheld misery without pity and compassion. Sa- 
viour of my soul ! have mercy on me, as I have hoped 
in thee. Yes, I do hope in thee, my sovereign Life ! 
In those adorable arms, open to receive sinners, I con- 
fidently expect a refuge ; at those sacred feet, where 
so many have found mercy and pardon, I now throw 
myself. Oh ! listen to my supplications, or rather to 
the voice of thy infinite mercy, for that alone is greater 
than my malice. Remember, Beloved of my soul ! 
that one visit from thee would suffice to sanctify the 
greatest sinner. Ah ! permit not that I should receive 
thee in vain; let not thy precious blood fall on the 
barren soil of my heart without softening it, and pro- 
ducing the fruits of virtue, which thou hast so long 



DEVOTIONS AFTER COMMUNION. 



275 



expected, and I have so ungratefully refused thee. 
Too late have I known thee, O eternal Truth ! too late 
have I loved thee, O Beauty ever ancient and ever 
new ! O take me out of life this moment, rather than 
suffer me to wound thy adorable heart by a relapse into 
sin, or a deliberate infidelity. 

III. 

He . . . spared not even his own Son, but delivered 
him up for us all ; . . . hath he not also, with him, given 
us all things? Romans viii 32. 

FATHER of mercies, and God of goodness ! how 
hast thou loved us ! What return can thy poor 
creature make thee ] Thanks to thy own infinite love, 
I can offer thee him, whom thou hast given me; him 
in whom thou art well pleased, thy only begotten Son 
and our Redeemer. Behold then, eternal Father ! our 
holy Jesus ; I offer thee his infinite merits in thanks- 
giving for thy mercies to me and all mankind, in be- 
half of thy holy Church : open wide her portals, and 
send forth streams of strength and sweetness which 
shall attract all nations to her bosom. Oh, do not 
suffer any one to be unfaithful to thy grace ; but, in 
thy tender mercy, cause all, each, and every one, to 
take shelter in this secure ark. Look with a favor- 
able eye on thy representative on earth, on the bishops, 
priests and all who labor in thy vineyard: make their 
lives immaculate as the law which it is their duty to 
inculcate ; and, my good God ! among the ministers 
of thy sanctuary, I pray especially for him, whom thou 
hast chosen to lead my soul to thee. O grant that he, 
who is affording to others a lamp to their feet, and a 
light to their paths, may himself go generously on, 
from virtue to virtue, until called by thee to shine 
among the brightest stars in thy empyreal heaven. 
And my infinitely good and Almighty Father! I 
ardently supplicate thee, for the sake of him who is 
now all mine, and whose superabundant merits I can 



276 DEVOTIONS AFTER COMMUNION. 

now, in a special manner, offer thee, to look with a 
Father's loving eye on my dear parents — grant them 
thy peace on earth, a happy death, and the possession 
of thyself in heaven. I offer the same superabundant 
merits in behalf of all our dear superiors : send upon 
them thy Holy Spirit, that he may enlighten, fortify 
and direct them — make them holy as thou, the Lord 
our God, art holy. I offer thee, again, eternal Father, 
the infinite merits of thy immaculate Lamb and our 
divine Victim, and I beseech thee, in his name and 
for his sake, to consider with tenderness our dear 
Community : give to us all the true spirit of our holy 
vocation : may sisterly affection unite all our hearts 
before thee, and love for thy Divine Son, our heavenly 
Spouse, be the golden link which unites us to thee : 
grant that we may be Sisters of Charity not in name 
only, but in heart, word and work. Bless all our en- 
deavors in behalf of the souls for whom thy beloved 
Son was sacrificed, and bless also all our undertak- 
ings to thy greater honor and glory. I offer the same 
adorable Victim, in satisfaction for all the sins that 
have ever been committed^ and that may be committed 
until the end of time. Again, I offer the infinite merits 
of our holy Jesus, to obtain for all under our care, my- 
self, and all others, those graces and blessings which 
thou seest are necessary for us, or which would be 
beneficial to us ; that we may be faithful to every 
grace, mindful that each one was purchased for us by 
his sacred blood. I pray thee, O compassionate Father ! 
through the virtue of all our Jesus has done and suffered 
for them, to release thy children banished in purgatory, 
and to grant them the possession of thyself, the sove- 
reign Good, for whom they so longingly sigh. 

IV. 

Behold thy Mother. St. John xix 27. 

II /FY blessed Mother, Mother of my Jesus, be a 
J.Y1 Mother to. me during these invaluable moments 



DEVOTIONS AFTER COMMUNION. 277 



which are as awful as they are delightful and propi- 
tious. My heavenly Guardian, and all ye bright An- 
gels that surround his holy altars; ye angelic Spirits 
who, prostrate before him, cast your crowns at his 
feet; blessed St. Joseph, our chosen patron; St. Vin- 
cent, our holy Founder ; St. John, who had the hap- 
piness to lean on the bosom of Jesus; all ye, my holy 
patrons and patronesses, and all ye blessed inhabitants 
of the heavenly Jerusalem ; ye, who know so much 
better than I do, the depths of his mercies, of his in- 
finite perfections, and how worthy he is of the undi- 
vided and devoted affections of my heart, help me to 
adore, love and thank him ; and obtain for me that the 
fountain of living waters, which run with a strong stream 
from this life-giving sacrament, (Cant, iv 15,) may 
replenish my soul, wash it, and free it from every ob- 
stacle that may prevent the perfect reign of his love in 
my heart. 

V. 

Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, and called thee by 
thy name: thou art mine. Isaias. xliii 1. 

"WTO, my Redeemer, sweetest and most tender friend 
w Jl of my soul! no, I will not fear; thy merciful 
condescension encourages thy guilty, but, I hope, 
penitent creature : though viler than dust and ashes, 
yet will I, with confidence, speak to thee, who, not 
content with having been wounded for our iniquities, 
and bruised for our sins, Isaias liii 5, dost with un- 
speakable love and mercy remain amongst us, and 
visit even our unworthy souls, to bind up that which 
was broken, to strengthen that which ivas weak, to pre- 
serve that which was strong, to feed thy redeemed 
souls with the manna of heaven, (Ezech. xxxiv 16 ;) 
and to reward their exertions in thy service with joys 
ineffable. Such is my Beloved, and he is my Friend, 
Cant, v 16. O my Saviour! art thou in truth my 
Friend ] Yes, if 1 love thee truly, this happiness is 

34 



I 



278 DEVOTIONS AFTER COMMUNION. 

mine. But how, my Saviour, can I know if I love 

thee ] With loving; condescension thou deignest to 
relieve my anxious heart — " If you love me, keep my 
commandments.-" — do, then, my God and my All! 
dilate this heart, and fill it with thy love, that I may 
run in the way of thy commandments, Ps. cxviii 32. 
Do not suffer me ever again to offend thee : do not 
permit this heart, which thou hast thus honored, to be 
ever indifferent to thee, or to cherish any thought, 
feeling or affection contrary, in the least, to thy infinite 
perfections ; do not permit this tongue, upon which 
thy sacred body has rested, ever to utter the least im- 
patient or unkind, much less proud, angry or unchari- 
table word. Grant, that I may courageously resist 
every thing that might be, even in the least degree, 
displeasing to thee, or prejudicial to a closer union of 
my soul with thee ; and that each successive day may 
witness some new exertion to evidence my love for 
thee, who hast loved me so much. 

VI. ♦ 

Thou hast multiplied thy magnificence ; and turning 
to me, thou hast comforted me. Ps. lxx 21. 

YES, my adorable Lord ! thou hast been inexpres- 
sibly bountiful to me. Teach me, then, to re- 
serve nothing in thy service; to despise and renounce 
for ever, every gratification which has not thee, my 
heavenly Spouse, for its object, that I may be less un- 
worthy to taste and see that the Lord is sweet. Ps. 
xxxiii 9. Oh! that I could now be united to thee, 
with the certainty that I should never be separated 
from thee ; but, alas ! surrounded as we are by an at- 
mosphere of sin, the most intimate union with thee is 
exposed to the dreadful danger of being dissolved. 
What then have I not to fear from my natural incon- 
stancy, innate malice and wretched misery 1 Do, then, 
my Saviour, thou who hast redeemed my soul at such 
a price ! do, I conjure thee, take me out of this life, 



DEVOTIONS AFTER COMMUNION. 279 

and condemn me to all that is most painful in the 
flames which purify thy elect, if thou foreseest that I 
shall ever again be so ungrateful as to offend thee. O 
my sweet Saviour ! as the accomplishment of thy will 
is the perfection of thy love, grant me to do thy will 
in all things ; and, that this adorable will may be my 
delight — my only desire. I cast myself with peace- 
ful confidence into those arms, which were for me 
extended on the cross. To thee, will I have recourse 
in all my necessities, pains of body or of soul. Be 
thou my only joy : let nothing irrelative to thee, have 
power to charm, delight, or please me. My Jesus ! 
best of friends, grant that thy adorable heart, that lov- 
ing heart, into which an entrance was, upon the cross, 
opened for me by the spear which pierced thy sacred 
Side, may be my abiding place until called to thy Fa- 
ther's house, in which I shall behold thee in thy glory, 
and without the fear of being separated from thee. 

VII. 

What is there thai 1 ought to do more to my vineyard^ 
that I have not done to it ? Isaias v 4. 

MY Jesus! most generous of friends! it is con- 
summated, St. John xix 30 : thou hast given us 
thyself. (St. John vi.) 

Fraise the Lord all ye nations, <$rc. Psalm cxvL 
Glory be to the Father, &«. 

A PRAYER 

Expressive of the disposition for gaining a Plenary Indul- 
gence. 

OMY heavenly Father, and most merciful God ! 
although I confidently hope, that I have obtained 
from thy mercy the remission of the eternal punish- 
ment which my sins have deserved ; yet, I have rea- 
son to fear that, from want of sufficient contrition and 
from other defects, there still remains much temporal 



i 

i 



4 



280 DEVOTIONS AFTER COMMUNION. 



punishment due to thy justice. Therefore, in order to 
make satisfaction to thy offended Majesty, I am re- 
solved to lead the life of a true penitent ; to bear in a 
spirit of penance, all the trials and afflictions with 
which thy merciful Providence may be pleased to 
visit me, and to be faithful in the discharge of all my 
duties, however painful and wearisome they may be. 
But, my God, since all that I can do would not be an 
adequate satisfaction, I have recourse to the inex- 
haustible merits of my Redeemer, which thy Church 
(in virtue of the keys of the kingdom of Heaven, com- 
mitted to its supreme pastors in the person of St. Peter, 
St. Matt, xvi 19) now holds forth. to me. Grant me, 
O Lord ! the dispositions to obtain such a portion of 
these infinite merits, as maybe necessary to discharge 
the debt of temporal punishment due to my sins; and 
let the immense ransom which Jes,us has paid for my 
salvation, be applied to my poor sinful soul, that it 
may be released from the punishment which it so 
justly deserves. 

Or, when you desire to apply the Indulgence to a soul in purgatory, 

say : 

"FT is my ardent desire, O my God, to apply to the 
1 soul of iV., the indulgence which I hope to gain. 
Oh ! do not, I entreat thee, let my unworthiness be an 
obstacle to this application of the merits of my Sa- 
viour. But if the soul of JW. does not need the appli- 
cation of this Indulgence, apply it, I beseech thee, to 
the soul, of whose sufferings I may have been cause ; 
to the soul, whose debt of temporal punishment is 
greatest; to the soul that has no one to pray for her; 
to the soul that has been most devout to the Passion 
of Christ, to the holy Sacrament of the altar, and to 
the Blessed Virgin Mary. 1 

We should frequently endeavor to obtain indulgences for 
our parents, sisters and other relations, and for those to 
whom we are under any obligation. — (For the conditions to 
gain a Plenary Indulgence, see Instruction on Indulgences,) 



DEVOTIONS AFTER COMMUNION. 281 



Those who, to comply with the conditions, say five Paters 
and five Aves, are advised to say them in honor of whe 
sacred Wounds of Jesus, that. thereby the eternal Father 
may, be glorified; and that the superabundant merits of 
those adorable wounds, may be applied as a healing balsam 
to the wounds of each and every soul, and that they may 
be impetratory for the necessities of the Church, and for 
all the intentions expressed in the following 

PRAYER. 

IT OFFER thee, my God! these five Paters and 

JL five dves, [or this Litany, or — ,] for the glory 

of thy holy name, for the exaltation of thy holy Church, 
the extirpation of schisms and heresies, for peace 
among Christian rulers; for all the intentions of the 
same holy Church. 

DEVOUT PRAYERS, OR FERVENT ASPIRA- 
TIONS AFTER COMMUNION. 
These may be used instead of the foregoing. 

I RETURN thee most hearty thanks, amiable 
Jesus, for the inestimable blessing I now enjoy. 
I praise and glorify thee with my whole soul, for the 
numberless favors I have received from thy bounty. 
I adore thee now reposing within my breast. O my 
God and my all ! — a thousand times welcome ! May 
thy holy name be for ever blessed ! O sovereign 
Lord of heaven ! how amazing is the excess of thy 
goodness, in condescending to visit so poor, so vile, 
so abject a creature as I am. Thou hast vouchsafed 
to heap thy favors on dust and ashes; to come into 
this poor cottage ; this house of clay, my earthly habi- 
tation ; and to feed my soul with the heavenly banquet 
of thy most precious body and blood. O teach me to 
entertain thee as I ought, and to make thee' some suit- 
able return for this thy infinite love. I would gladly 
make thee some offering in acknowledgment of the 
rich present thou hast made me, in giving thyself to 
me; but alas ! dear Lord, thou knowest my poverty, 



282 



DEVOTIONS AFTER COMMUNION. 



and that I have nothing worthy of thy acceptance : 
nothing but what, on a thousand titles, is already 
thine. But, my bountiful Saviour ! such is thy 
goodness, that thou wilt be contented with the little 1 
can give thee, although it be thine already. Thou 
askest nothing but my heart; — and this I most will- 
ingly offer thee. Oh ! be pleased to accept it, and 
make it wholly thine for ever. Take full possession 
of it ; I offer it to thee without reserve ; I desire to 
consecrate it eternally to thy service. Disengage it, 
therefore, from this moment, from the slavery of its 
passions and vices : stifle in it every desire, but that 
of loving and pleasing thee : inflame it with the fire 
of divine charity, that it may ever burn with thy love. 
Oh ! may the sweet flames thereof consume my soul, 
that so I may die to the world for the love of thee, 
who hast vouchsafed to expire on the cross for the 
love of me. I cast myself entirely into the arms of 
thy mercy, and offer thee my whole being ; my body 
with all its senses, and my soul with all its powers : 
that, as thou hast honored them both by thy real pre- 
sence, so they may both be thy temple for ever. Oh ! 
sanctify and consecrate eternally to thyself this man- 
sion, which thou hast, by a wonderful condescension, 
chosen this day for thy abode ; and grant that, like 
Zacheus, I may obtain thy benediction. I offer thee 
my memory, that it may be ever recollected in thee; 
my understanding, that it may be always directed and 
enlightened by thy truth ; and my will, that it may be 
ever conformable to thine. Oh ! take me entirely inlo 
thy hands, with all that 1 have, and all that I am ; and 
let nothing henceforward, either in life or death, ever 
separate me from thee any more. Make me according 
to thine own heart, and let my soul be thy habitation 
for ever. Draw me most powerfully after thee, and 
guide my steps, that I may cheerfully run in the paths 
of perfection, — teach me to do thy will in all things. 
Let thy blessing be upon all my actions, and thy grace 



DEVOTIONS AFTER COMMUNION. 283 

direct my intentions, that the whole course of my life, 
and the principal design of my heart, may ever tend 
to the advancement of thy glory, the good of my neigh- 
bor, and the eternal salvation of my own soul. Amen. 

OMY soul, bless the Lord ; and let all that is within 
thee, praise and magnify his holy name. Pay him 
the best homage thou art able, and invite heaven and 
earth to join with thee in glorifying him for ever. O 
my God ! that I could now give thee as much praise, 
honor and glory, as the blessed Spirits incessantly 
give thee in heaven! Oh, that I could adore thee 
with the spirit and affection of thy elect ! But as I 
am unable to do this, accept, at least, this my desire 
and good will. all ye Angels of the Lord, bless 
the Lord : praise and glorify his holy name. Bless 
the Lord, all ye Saints; and let the whole Church of 
heaven and earth, join in praising and giving him 
thanks for all his mercies and graces to me ; and thus, 
in some measure, supply what is due from me. But 
as all this still falls short of what I owe thee for thy 
infinite love, I offer to thee, Eternal Father, this same 
Son of thine, whom thou hast given me, and his 
thanksgiving, which is of infinite value ; this, I am 
sure, thou wilt accept. Look not then on my insen- 
sibility and ingratitude, but upon the face of thy 
Christ, and with him, and through him, receive this 
offering of my own poor self, which I desire to make 
xhee. O Beauty ever ancient, and always new ! too 
late have I known thee; too late have 1 loved thee. 
When shall I live, only in thee, by thee, and for thee 
alone'? my God and my all,' when shall I see the 
day, when shall the happy time arrive, when disgusted 
with the false happiness of this deceitful world, I shall 
seek comfort from thee alone, and find rest to my soul ! 
O heavenly manna ! O adorable Sacrament ! O in- 
estimable pledge of God's love to mankind ! stand- 
ing memorial of Christ's passion and death ! O in- 



284 



DEVOTIONS AFTER COMMUNION. 



exhaustible fountain of divine grace ! O boundless 
mercy ! divine charity ! O sacred fire, ever burn- 
ing-, and never decaying ! Hail, O loving Jesus, my 
only pleasure and delight — the joy of my soul and my 
portion for ever. Let my soul be sensible of the 
sweetness of thy presence : let me taste how sweet 
thou art, Lord. Purify my heart from the dross of 
all earthly affections : deliver me from my vicious 
customs : remove from me all the baneful effects of 
concupiscence. Perfect me in charity, patience, hu- 
mility, obedience, and all other virtues. Oh ! may 1 
rather die than ever wilfully offend thee ! Oh ! may 
I prove my gratitude, by my fidelity, to so good a 
God ! Abolish the reign of sin, and establish the 
kingdom of grace in all hearts. Let the light of thy 
countenance so shine upon all those who are in the 
darkness of infidelity, as to dispel their errors. Grant 
peace and union to all Christian nations, and preserve 
us from the dreadful scourges of war, famine and pes- 
tilence. Convert all sinners ; reconcile those who are 
at variance. Have mercy also on my parents, friends 
and benefactors, and on all those for whom I am in 
anywise bound to pray, that we may all love thee, and 
faithfully serve thee. Have mercy on all my enemies; 
forgive them their sins, and fill both their hearts and 
mine with thy charity. Comfort all that are under 
any affliction, sickness, or violence of pain. Support 
those who are under temptation ; protect those that 
are in danger ; and grant a happy passage to all that 
are in their last agony. Have mercy on thy w T hole 
Church, on all the clergy, and on all religious ; that 
all may lead holy lives, and sanctify thy name. Ex- 
tend thy mercy likewise to the souls of all the faithful 
departed, and admit them to the possession of thy 
eternal glory. Grant relief to us, in all our respective 
necessities, remission of our sins, the grace of final 
perseverance, and. life everlasting. Amen, 



OTHER PRAYERS AFTER COMMUNION, 



AN ACT OF OBLATION. 

O FATHER of mercies, and God of all consola- 
tion, how hast thou loved us, to whom thou hast 
given thy only begotten Son, once for our ransom, 
and daily for the food of our souls ! What can I, a 
wretched creature, return thee for this infinite charity? 
Verily nothing else but this same beloved Son of thitie, 
whom thou hast given me, and surely thou couldst 
give me nothing greater, or more worthy of thyself. 
Him then I offer to thee, heavenly Father, w T ith 
whom thou art always well pleased ; him, whom thou 
hast lovingly delivered up to death for me, and given 
me in this most holy sacrament, which we frequent 
for the everlasting memorial of his death. He is our 
High-Priest and Victim ; he is the Propitiation for 
the sins of the whole world ; he is our Advocate and 
Intercessor. Look down then upon him, and for his 
sake look down upon me, and upon us all. Remem- 
ber all his sufferings, which he endured here in his 
mortal life, his bitter anguish, his mortal agony and 
bloody sweat, all the injuries and affronts, all the 
blows and stripes, all the bruises and wounds that he 
received for us. Remember his death, which thou 
wast pleased should be the fountain of our life ; and 
for the sake of his sacred passion, have mercy on us. 
Receive, holy Father, Almighty and Eternal God, 
this holy and unspotted Victim, which I here offer 
thee, in union with that love, with which he offered 
himself to thee upon the altar of the cross. Receive 
him for the praise and glory of thy name ; in thanks- 
giving for all the benefits bestowed on me, and on all 
mankind ; in satisfaction also for all my sins, and for 
the benefit of thy whole Church, and the refreshment 
and succor of all thy faithful, living and dead : through 
the same Lord Jesus Christ thy Son. 

2S5 



\ 



286 



ACTS AFTER COMMUNION. 



AN ACT OF THANKSGIVING. 

HEN I reflect, O my God ! on the innumerable 



blessings and favors thou hast heaped on me, 
from the first moment of my existence to the present 
hour, I am penetrated with confusion ; and my heart, 
overpowered with gratitude and love, is unable to ex- 
press what I feel. I am surrounded on all sides with 
thy benefits. Thou art not only the God of the uni- 
verse ; thou art also, in a special manner, a God to 
me; so interested art thou in all that concerns my 
welfare, that thy attention seems to be fixed on me 
alone. Thou hast given me all that I am, and even 
all that thou art thyself. I can call thee, with as 
much reason as David could, the God of my salvation^ 
and my mercy ; my refuge and my support ; my trea- 
sure and my inheritance. What do I say ] Dost thou 
not deign at present to become my nourishment, to in- 
corporate thyself with my very substance, that I may 
know the extent of thy love, and possess within my 
breast a pledge of eternal life 1 How great, then, will 
be my ingratitude, if henceforward I do not endeavor, 
to the utmost of my ability, to correspond with this 
infinite love, this marked predilection ! O my God ! 
may I never be unmindful of thy favors — may my 
right hand be forgotten, and my tongue cleave to my 
mouth, if ever I neglect to extol thy mercies ! But 
how shall I, a wretched miserable creature, make thee 
a suitable return for all thou hast done for me 1 In 
myself I have nothing ; but do I not possess, in the 
invaluable gift I have just received, an adequate 
thanksgiving— an offering worthy of thy supreme 
greatness ] Accept then, O omnipotent Lord ! the 
uninterrupted praise and thanksgivings which thy 
dear Son offered thee from the moment of his incar- 
nation, to the close of his mortal life ; particularly at 
the institution of this Sacrament, when fully sensible 
of our weakness, and of the infinite value of the bene- 




ACTS AFTER COMMUNION. 



287 



fits then bestowed, he raised his eyes to thee, om- 
nipotent Father ! and in our name gave thanks. The 
sacrifice of my whole being is not worthy to be pre- 
sented to thee ; but in offering thee to thyself, I look 
on my debts as abundantly discharged. May thy in- 
finite mercies be for ever exalted, for having given me 
so excellent a means of repaying, in some manner, all 
the obligations I have contracted towards thy justice, 
as well as thy mercy. 

AN ACT OF PETITION. 

OMOST merciful Saviour! thou seest all my ma- 
ladies, and all the wounds of my soul; thou 
knowest how prone I am to evil, and how backward 
and sluggish to good. Thou seest this self-love, that 
tyrannizes over my soul, which is so deeply rooted in 
my corrupt nature, and branches out into so many 
vices, so much pride and vanity, so much passion and 
envy, so much covetousness and w T orldly solicitude, 
so much sensuality and concupiscence. Oh ! who 
can heal all these my evils, but thou, the true physi- 
cian of my soul, w r ho givest me thy body and blood 
in this blessed sacrament, as a sovereign medicine for 
all my infirmities, and a sovereign balsam for all my 
wounds. Dispel the darkness of ignorance and error 
from my understanding, by thy heavenly light ; drive 
away the corruption and malice of my will, by the fire 
of divine love and charity ; restrain all the motions of 
concupiscence, and all the irregular sallies of passion, 
that they may no more prevail over me ; strengthen 
my weakness with heavenly fortitude ; destroy this 
monster of self-love, with its many heads, or, at least, 
chain down this worst of all my enemies, that it may 
no longer usurp the empire of my soul, which belongs 
to thee, and which thou hast taken possession of, this 
day ; cut off the heads of this beast, and particularly 
that which annoys me most, and which is my pre* 
dominant passion ; stand by me henceforward in all 



288 



ACTS AFTER COMMUNION. 



ray temptations, that I may never more be overcome ; 
remove from me all dangerous occasions, and grant 
me this one favor, that I may rather die a thousand 
deaths than live to offend thee deliberately. 

O my Jesus, thou art infinitely rich, and all the 
treasures of divine grace are locked up in thee ; these 
treasures thou bringest with thee, when thou comest 
to visit us in this blessed sacrament, and thou takest 
an infinite pleasure in opening them to us, to enrich 
our poverty. This gives me the confidence to present 
thee now with my petitions, and to beg of thee those 
graces and virtues which 1 very much need, as thou 
best knowest. Oh ! increase and strengthen my be- 
lief of thy heavenly truths, and grant that hencefor- 
ward I may ever live by faith, and be guided by the 
maxims of thy gospel. Teach me to be poor in spirit, 
to take off my heart from the love of these transitory 
things, and to fix it upon eternity ; teach me, by thy 
divine example, and by thy most efficacious grace, to 
be meek and humble of heart, and in my patience to 
possess my soul. Grant that I may ever keep my 
body and soul chaste and pure ; that I may ever be- 
wail my past sins, and by a daily mortification re- 
strain all irregular inclinations and passions for the 
future. Above all things, teach me to love thee ; 
teach me to be ever recollected in thee, and to walk 
always in thy presence ; teach me to love my friends 
in thee, and my enemies for thee ; grant me the grace 
to persevere to the end in this love. Let nothing in 
future be my comfort but thou, my Lord Jesus ! nor 
let any thing afflict me hereafter but my sins, and 
whatever is displeasing to thy Divine Majesty. O 
Soul of Christ, sanctify me — Body of Christ, save me 
— Blood of Christ, purify me — Water issuing from 
the side of Christ, wash me — Passion of Christ, 
strengthen me. O good Jesus, graciously hear me — 
hide me within thy wounds — suffer me never to be 
separated from thee — call me at the hour of death, and 



ACTS AFTER COMMUNION. 



289 



command me to come to thee, that I may associate 
with the Saints and Angels, and the whole choir of 
celestial Spirits, to sing forth canticles of praise and 
glory to thy holy name for ever and ever, world with- 
out end. Amen, amen, sweet Jesus ! amen. 

A PRAYER OF ST. THOMAS OF AQUIN. 

T~ GIVE thee thanks, eternal Father ! for having, out 
1 of thy pure mercy, without any deserts of mine, 
been pleased to feed my soul with the body and blood 
of thy only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. I beseech 
thee, that this holy communion may not be to my 
condemnation, but prove an effectual remission of all 
my sins. May it strengthen my faith ; encourage me 
in all that is good ; deliver me from my vicious cus- 
toms ; remove all concupiscence ; perfect me in cha- 
rity, patience, humility, and obedience, and in all other 
virtues. May it secure me against all the snares of 
my enemies, both visible and invisible; perfectly 
moderate all my inclinations ; closely unite me to 
thee, the true and only good, and happily settle me in 
unchangeable bliss. I now make it my hearty re- 
quest, that thou wilt one day admit me, though an 
unworthy sinner, to be a guest at that divine banquet, 
where thou, with thy Son and the Holy Ghost, art the 
true light, eternal fulness, everlasting joy, and perfect 
happiness of all the Saints, through the same Jesus 
Christ, our Lord. Jlmzn* 



PRAYERS 



WHICH MAY BE SAID DURING VISITS TO THE BLESSED 
SACRAMENT, OR AFTER HOLY COMMUNION. 

L 

I am come to send fire on the earth, and what will I 
but that it be kindled? St. Luke xii 49. 

OMY Jesus ! since it is thy will, that the fire of 
thy divine love should be kindled in all hearts, 
fill mine with this divine fire — with those holy flames 
which burn in thy own most amiable heart. Oh ! by 
what prodigy am I insensible to thy sacred presence ! 

But, my Jesus, thou canst do all things ; change 
then, or rather absolutely destroy in my heart every 
thing that displeases thee therein. Remain with me, 
for without thee I cannot live, and grant that I may 
never be satisfied with any thing less than thee. Oh ! 
let me love thee from this moment without mixture or 
imperfection. Retrench, destroy, absolutely and for 
ever, every thing that is contrary in my soul to the 
purity of thy love. 

II. 

AH ! my dearest Lord ! penetrate my heart with 
those inflamed darts, which pierce and transfix 
those happy souls that are invariably submissive to 
the laws of pure love. Oh ! let me be thus sweetly 
wounded, let so delicious a martyrdom be continued, 
ever increased, and at last consummated in the divine 
ardors of thy all-consuming love. O my adorable 
Saviour ! grant that every respiration of my heart may 
tell thee, and tell thee with truth, that thou art my 
only Treasure, my God, and my All. 

III. 

MY Jesus ! what may I not hope for from thee, 
since thou has given me thyself! Give me 
then, I humbly beseech thee, that perfect love which 

290 



PRAYERS AFTER COMMUNION. 



291 



will preserve me from sin in this region of death, or 
take away a life which is desirable only in as much 
as it affords opportunities of increasing thy greater 
glory, and securing a closer union with thee in eternity. 
But, if it be thy will to prolong my banishment, and 
delay the enjoyment of thyself, that adorable will is 
consequently mine. I do not desire that my fate 
should be otherwise. my Divine Redeemer ! thou 
justly meritest that every wish of my heart, and every 
movement of my will, should be absorbed and totally 
lost in thine. Yes, it is but just, that I should resign 
all to thee ; and, had I as much power as I have will, 
to attain the immense good I implore, still, would I 
lay them both at thy sacred feet, that thou mightest 
both will and act towards me according to thy own 
adorable will and eternal wisdom. 

IV. 

JESUS,, my sweet Saviour! thou art a God in- 
comprehensible, self-existing, eternal, infinite in 
every perfection : but thou art no less good than great; 
no less merciful than just; no less amiable than omni- 
potent. Adorable Author of my being ! thy power 
has drawn me from nothing; thy providence has pre- 
served my existence; thy mercy has redeemed and 
loaded me with ten thousand benefits: but oh! who 
can number the blessings I have received from thy 
love] who, but thyself, divine Source of them all! 
can justly estimate the value of thy own precious 
gifts, or comprehend the deep, the sublime, the amia- 
ble inventions of thy boundless love ] Alas ! my 
Jesus ! though purchased by thy blood, the object of 
thy predilection, and so often the temple of thy Di- 
vinity itself, still I am ignorant of half the love, with 
I which I am, and ever have been loved. my God ! 
let me now, at least, begin to correspond, as far as I 
am able, with the countless multitude of thy graces 
and mercies. Oh ! let me love thee, let me now com- 



292 



PRAYERS AFTER COMMUNION. 



mence that sweet occupation for which eternity itself 
will hereafter appear too short. Let me live for thee, 
and for thee only. 

V. 

OMY God ! how blessed should I be, could I this 
instant shake off every obstacle to the amiable 
and desirable union of perfect love ! Here below we 
enjoy thee; thou art our treasure, our life, our all — 
yes, thou art ten thousand times more than human elo- 
quence can express, even though, forgetful of our- 
selves, and all created objects, we remain lovingly ab- 
sorbed in thee, and solely intent on pleasing thee 
alone. But, alas! what are we, when abandoned by 
thee ! Oh ! what sad, what fatal experience have we 
not of our own misery, weakness and wretchedness ! 
Unhappy .... that I am : who shall deliver me from 
the body of this death? Rom. vii 24. Who will grant 
me to break my chains, and escape as a sparrow out 
of the snare of the fowlers ? Ps. exxiii 7. O my God ! 
wound thou my heart so deeply with thy love, that 
through the opening my soul may bound forward, and 
be absorbed in thee, her centre and repose. De- 
sired of my soul! receive thy willing captive ; bind 
me eternally in the sweet bonds of thy love, far dearer 
to my heart than all the boasted liberty of this wretched 
world. 

VI. 

O PURITY ! O spotless Sanctity ! God of my 
heart ! how seriously important is the slightest 
fault, the least wilful infidelity ! for in the soul which 
thou hast chosen out of thousands, which thou hast se- 
lected even from among the elect, to be thy Spouse, 
thou canst not suffer the smallest stain or imperfection. 
O retrench then, I conjure thee, every thing displeas- 
ing to thee ; for I cannot support the idea that my 
heart, wherein thou residest, should henceforward be 
unfaithful, should cherish even a momentary feeling 



PRAYERS AFTER COMMUNION. 293 

contrary to the utmost purity of thy love. I know, 
my divine Lord ! that I am weakness and misery 
itself ; I know, that if abandoned by thy all-powerful 
grace, I shall again fall headlong into sin, and griev- 
ously offend thee, who in the excess of thy charity 
hast not only laid down thy life for my redemption, 
but hast also given me thyself in thy adorable sacra- 
ment. Oh ! perfect the work thou hast mercifully 
commenced ; satisfy the longing desires which thou 
thyself hast excited ; remain with me, and grant that 
I may be occupied either with thee, or for thee. 

VII. 

What we can know is but as a spark . . . We shall 
say much, and yet shall want words : but the sum of our 
words is, He is all. Ecclus. xlii 23 : xliii 29. 

1%/TY God! I rejoice that thou art all, and that 
JLyJL nothing can add to, or take from thy essential 
grandeur. I rejoice that thou wilt be always mercy, 
greatness, justice, goodness and love itself, though 
these adorable attributes may be abused, forgotten, or 
even denied. Yes, my Jesus, my Lord and my God ! 
Yes, independently of the praise or forgetfulness of 
thy creature, thou art, and ever shalt be the same 
great, adorable, self-existing Being ; thou art the Word 
that was in the beginning with God. St. John i 12. 
Thou and the Father are one, St. John x SO. But, 
my God ! since thou vouchsafest to be pleased witk 
the praise and love of thy unworthy creatures, accept 
my earnest desire that thou mayest be praised, and 
ardently, sovereignly loved by all, for time and eter- 
nity. Amen. 



25* 



PRAYERS AT MASS BEFORE COMMUNION. 



AN OFFERING OF THE DIVINE SACRIFICE AND 
COMMUNION. 

HEAVENLY Father ! I offer thee the commu- 
nion I am about to make, in union with the su- 
perabundant merits of Jesus Christ thy beloved Son, 
and the infinite love of his adorable heart; in union 
with the merits of the Blessed Virgin, and the ardent 
love of her sacred heart ; in union with the merits and 
love of those happy souls, who enjoy thy glorious 
vision in heaven, and of the just who still live upon 
earth. 

my God ! I earnestly desire to approach thee in 
this adorable sacrament, with that lively faith, that 
profound humility, that tender confidence, that pure 
conscience and ardent love, with which so many holy 
souls are inflamed, in partaking of this sacred ban- 
quet ; accept at least my desire, and supply by thy 
mercy all my deficiencies. I offer my Communion, 
and the adorable Sacrifice at which I am going to 
assist, to render thee the honor and glory which are 
due to thy infinite majesty; to satisfy thy justice, 
which I have irritated by my sins ; to thank thee for 
the innumerable benefits which I have received from 
thy liberality ; and to obtain from thy infinite mercy 
the graces which are necessary for me, particularly the 
grace to subdue my predominant passion, and to ac- 
quire the virtue in which I am most deficient, but 
especially the grace of a happy death. I likewise offer 
my Communion, merciful Father! in memory of 
the passion and death of thy dear Son, my divine Re- 
deemer, to enter into his views and designs ; to ac- 
complish his most holy will; to love him with more 
ardor and perfection ; to participate in the merits of 
his labors and sufferings; to acquire his spirit; to imi- 
tate his virtues; to model my life on his, and to make 

294 



PRAYERS AT MASS BEFORE COMMUNION. 295 



to his adorable heart a public reparation for all the 
sacrilegious communions, irreverences, and profana- 
tions, which are committed against him in this august 
sacrament of his love. I offer it, O God of unbounded 
liberality ! to thank thee for all the graces thou hast 
bestowed on mankind, particularly for all those thou 
hast conferred on the Blessed Virgin, as likewise on the 
Angels and the Saints, especially on my Angel guar- 
dian and holy patrons. I offer it likewise for the tri- 
umph of our holy religion, the exaltation of the Catho- 
lic Church, for the spiritual and temporal prosperity 
of our beloved Community, and for that of all Reli- 
gious Orders — the conversion of infidels, heretics, 
schismatics, and all those who are in the unhappy 
state of mortal sin ; also for the necessities of my pa- 
rents, superiors, sisters, relatives, friends, benefactors, 
and enemies; for the perseverance of the just, the 
comfort of the afflicted, and the deliverance of the suf- 
fering souls in purgatory. In a word, for all those for 
whom I am obliged, or for whom I desire to pray ; 
and I desire to enter into all the intentions requisite 
for gaining the indulgences which are held forth by 
the Church to worthy communicants. 

AT THE BEGINNING OF MASS. 

DIVINE Jesus, Mediator of the New Testament ! 
who didst ascend into heaven .... to appear 
. ... in the presence of God for us; (Heb ix 24 ;) yet 
who daily descendest on our altars to renew that sacri- 
fice by which we were all redeemed, thou comest to 
convince us of thy eternal predilection by the tender- 
est proof of thy love. Oh ! why are we not deeply 
impressed with the happiness and advantage of a 
sacrifice by which we can abundantly satisfy the jus- 
tice of thy heavenly Father, honor his eternal majesty, 
acknowledge his infinite mercies, and obtain the graces 
necessary for serving thee on earth and enjoying thee 
in heaven ! 



296 



PRAYERS AT MASS 



Permit me, Divine Jesus, to ascend this new Cal- 
vary with thee, that my whole soul may do homage to 
the greatness of thy Majesty ; that my heart, with its 
tenderest affections, may acknowledge thy infinite 
love; that my memory may dwell on the admirable 
mysteries here renewed, and that the sacrifice of my 
whole being may accompany thine. 

Alas ! I am unworthy to join with thy minister in 
adoring thee ; I can neither feel the extent of thy bless- 
ings, nor acknowledge them as I ardently desire to 
do ; but, O Lord, be thou with me, that by thee and 
with thee I may worthily assist at these tremendous 
mysteries. 

AT THE GLORIA IN EXCELSIS. 

OONLY Son of God, made man for my love! I 
unite my praises to those of the heavenly Spirits. 
How admirable is thy grandeur, and how excessive 
thy humiliation ! 

In being born on earth, thou didst render glory to 
God in heaven, and procure peace on earth to men of 
good will. Thou wilt be again mystically born on 
this altar : and it is for me thou comest; it is in order 
to give thyself to me. Divine Author of grace ! 
wilt thou not operate a prodigy of sanctity in me, 
since thou hast deigned to choose me for thy spouse] 
Oh ! let me never cease to praise, bless, and adore 
thee ! O Lamb of God, who hast washed away my 
sins in thy precious blood, wilt thou not have pity on 
me? Hear the petition I now make: grant me the 
grace of a worthy communion, and grant the same to 
all our Community : do not permit that any one of 
those chosen souls whom thou hast selected for thy 
spouses should ever approach thee with tepidity or in- 
difference. Suffer us not to be guilty of an unprofit- 
able, and, far less, of an unworthy communion. 



BEFORE COMMUNION. 



297 



AT THE EPISTLE AND GOSPEL. 

OMY Saviour! beloved of my soul! thou hast 
the words of eternal life : let me hear thy voice. 
Oh ! how much sweetness do thy words impart ! 
what peace to the hearts of those that love thee ! 
Speak, for I am thy servant, ready to obey thee in 
every thing 1 . What dost thou require of me 1 I can 
refuse thee nothing 1 , since thou lovest me so tenderly 
as even to give thyself to me ; and in giving thyself, 
thou dost give me all things. Thou aTt holy, and I 
desire to approach thee : thou art going to unite thy- 
self most intimately to me ; therefore I ought to be 
holy. Oh ! clothe me then with thy sanctity, and 
let all the members of our community become holy. 
Teach me to love and embrace the divine maxims of 
the Gospel, so opposed to those of the world and to 
my own perverse inclinations. Teach me to crucify 
and subject my flesh, after seeing thee so generously 
sacrifice thyself, and become my victim on the cross. 

Bread of Life ! strengthen me that I may cou- 
rageously imitate thee, and accomplish the precepts 
of thy holy law. 

AT THE CREDO. 

I BELIEVE, my God ! every article proposed 
by the holy Catholic Church; and, through thy 
grace, I am disposed ratner to die than relinquish the 
precious gift of faith, by which I am elevated to the 
adoption of the children of God, and made heir and 
joint heir with Christ. 

1 believe. O Divine Lord ! penetrate my heart and 
soul with the entire import of these short but compre- 
hensive words, and let them produce those prodigies 
of grace and conversion which have so often followed 
from similar confessions. I believe all that thou hast 
revealed, without exception or reserve, for thou hast 
the words of eternal life. St. John vi 69. On thy 
unerring word, I believe that thou art really present 



298 



PRAYERS AT MASS 



in the adorable sacrament of which I am about to 
participate. Oh ! what miracles are contained in this 
sacred and ever-amiable mystery ! Incomprehensible 
as they are, I believe them all. I adore thy omnipo- 
tence, which is a sufficient proof of their possibility; 
and in thy boundless love I am furnished with a 
pledge of their reality, as endearing as it is powerful. 
Were my faith as animated as I hope it is sincere, my 
heart would be inflamed at the near approach of its 
heavenly Guest, and every movement of my soul and 
body would be a transport of gratitude and love. 
Come, O my Jesus, beloved of my soul, increase 
within me the divine virtues infused therein on my 
admission into the bosom of thy Church. Come, re- 
new thy sacred image in my soul, and give me grace 
to practise the dictates of my holy religion, that all 
my works, being animated by charity, may be accept- 
able in thy sight, and meritorious of eternal life* 

AT THE OFFERTORY. 

RECEIVE, O Lord! this spotless host, which 
thy minister offers thee, in the name of thy 
Church. Receive, eternal Majesty ! this oblation of 
bread and wine, which will soon become the body 
and blood of a God, who, to render thee, in the name 
of weak mortals, the adoration thou meritest, has 
vouchsafed to clothe himself with our miseries, to 
become susceptible of death, and to immolate himself 
daily on our altars, as the precious victim of our sal- 
vation. Animated with the most lively confidence in 
the merits of my Redeemer, I offer thee, once more, 
the treasure of his sufferings and death, and I make 
this offering for all the great ends for which he insti- 
tuted this adorable sacrifice, viz. : to adore thee as my 
God ; to love thee as my sovereign benefactor ; to 
thank thee for all thy blessings to" me and all man- 
kind ; to implore thy mercy in behalf of those who 
miserably stray from the paths of justice, and to ob- 



BEFORE COMMUNION. 



299 



tain the deliverance of the souls suffering in pur- 
gatory. 

I conjure thee, O my God ! by the perfect oblation 
of my divine Saviour on the altar of the cross, to 
pardon my past ingratitude, and to grant me an un- 
bounded resignation to thy adorable will. But, 
my sovereign Benefactor ! how shall I thank thee for 
the invaluable gift by which I am enabled to satisfy 
my obligations ! Ah, my God ! this gift, which the 
united homages of angels and men would inade- 
quately acknowledge, can only be repaid by itself: I 
then offer thee my Redeemer himself as a sacrifice 
of praise, and pay my vows (Ps. cxv 18) in union 
with him, in whom thou art always well pleased. 

AT THE LAVABO. 

OMY God ! what purity does it not require to ap- 
proach thee, who dost necessarily abhor sin in 
an infinite degree ! Ah ! that I had the purity of 
angels, or the parity of Mary the purest of Virgins ! 
Oh ! let my eyes become fountains of tears, proceed- 
ing from a heart filled with penitential love. Purify 
me in thy precious blood, my amiable Redeemer ! 
Purify, in like manner, all who are consecrated to 
thee, to praise and serve thee under the shadow of thy 
sanctuary, that thou mayest be able to ! say of each one 
of us : " She is my beloved, in whom there is no 
spot." 

AT THE PREFACE. 

PERMIT not, Love and Life of my soul! that 
my mind should for a moment wander from the 
consideration of the ineffable mysteries thou art about 
to operate. Enlighten my understanding; inflame 
my heart; animate every affection of my soul, that I 
may be absorbed in the contemplation of these mira- 
cles of mercy and love ! Oh ! give me to understand, 
give me to see and feel, the breadth* and length, and 



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height, and depth (Eph. iii 18) of that love which 
will soon veil thy glories under the humiliating" forms 
of bread and wine. Prostrate in spirit before that 
throne of glory where the Cherubim and Seraphim, 
with all the heavenly Host, adore thy awful Majesty, 
I conjure thee to receive my homage, in union with 
the transports of admiration and love with which they 
incessantly proclaim that thou art Holy, Holy, Holy; 
and that worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive 
power, and divinity, and wisdom, and strength, and 
honor, and glory, and benediction, for ever and ever. 
JLmen. Apoc. v 12. 

FROM THE CANON TO THE ELEVATION. 

AH ! why, Beloved of my soul ! why do I not 
sigh for thy coming on this altar with as much 
ardor as did the ancient patriarchs and prophets — 
with as much vehemence and pure desire as thy 
Blessed Mother, the first and most perfect adorer of 
thy sacred humanity ! O my God ! I offer thee my 
heart, soul, mind, strength, desires, and affections, in 
union with the admirable dispositions of thy Saints, 
but particularly in union with the raptures of love and 
devotion of that incomparable Virgin, in whose pure 
soul, prepared by thy divine Spirit, thou didst delight 
to dwell. Bewailing my own coldness and tepidity, 
I offer thee her sacred heart, with all the love with 
which it ever was, and for all eternity will be, ani- 
mated. I offer thee her heavenly contemplations, her 
spirit of silence and recollection, her spotless purity, 
profound humility, and her patient suffering at the 
foot of the cross. And thou, most sacred Virgin ! 
Mother of fair love, of knowledge, and of holy hope, 
(Ecclus. xxiv 24,) obtain for me a share in the holy 
dispositions that adorned thy soul from the moment 
of thy immaculate conception, since 1 am also des- 
tined for the residence and sanctuary of a God. 
assured refuge of sinners ! I address thee with the 



BEFORE COMMUNION. 



801 



most lively confidence, beseeching thee to obtain, that 
I may be worthily replenished with him, who was 
born of thee — with him, who is the desire and expecta- 
tion of all nations, 

(Here make a memento for the living.) 

AT THE CONSECRATION. 

JESUS, brightness of eternal light — unspotted 
mirror of God's majesty, (Wisd. vii 26,) my 
sovereign Life, and only Good ! thou art he whom I 
have so long, so ardently desired : he whom I ac- 
knowledge for my Lord and my God, and who alone 
art worthy of the homage and adoration of men and 
angels. Monarch of heaven and earth, mighty in 
work and word! (Luke xxiv 19,) verily thou art a hid- 
den God, the God of Israel, the Saviour, (Is. xlv. 15 ;) 
but the shades which conceal thy majesty are those 
of the tenderest love. 

Divine Jesus ! thou art now glorified by the ho- 
mages of numberless Angels, who invisibly assist at 
these sacred mysteries. Oh ! how should their love 
and adorations confound and humble me, since it is 
not for them, but for me, that thou art on this altar a 
hidden God ! O holy Angels, blessed Spirits ! love 
and adore the Almighty for me, and redouble your 
ardors, to supply my insufficiency. 

FROM THE ELEVATION TO THE PATER NOSTER. 

ADORABLE Jesus! the happy nuoment is fast 
approaching, when that sacred body which was 
immolated on the cross, will abide in my heart; and 
that precious blood, which was shed with so much 
anguish for my ransom, will be really and truly ap- 
plied as a sovereign remedy to my soul. My God ! 
is it possible that thou, whom the heavens cannot 
contain, wilt confine thy greatness within the narrow 
limits of my heart ! — that thou, before whom the An- 

26 



302 



PRAYERS AT MASS 



gels themselves are not pure, wilt unite thyself to a 
soul like mine, disfigured and denied with innume- 
rable sins ! O Lord ! with the most sincere conviction 
of my wretchedness, I protest with the Centurion that 
I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof, 
St. Matt, viii 8. Shall I then say with St. Peter : 
Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful creature, 
(St. Luke v 8.). Shall 1 then depart from this sanc- 
tuary, which I am unworthy to enter, and relinquish 
that happiness for which my soul sighs, but which 1 
shall never merit 1 Ah ! no, my divine Saviour ! I 
will not leave thee ; for to whom should I go, but to 
thee? Hast thou not invited all that labor, and are 
heavy laden, (St. Matt, xi 28,) to approach thee ? 
Therefore, notwithstanding the miseries of my soul, I 
come, perfectly convinced that if thou wilt, thou canst 
make me clean. St. Matt, viii 2. I am weak, but 
thou wilt be my sovereign strength ; I am poor, but 
thou wilt adorn my soul with the riches of thy grace : 
thou wilt destroy my pride by the force of thy pro- 
found humiliations in the centre of my soul : thou 
wilt warm my tepidity by the fire which thou earnest 
on earth to enkindle, (St. Luke xii 49 ;) thou wilt 
communicate to me thy divinity itself, that I may not 
live, but that thou mayest live in me. Come then, O 
my God ! the desire of the everlasting hills, (Gen. xlix 
26,) the friend of sinners, the comfort of the afflicted, 
the hope of all the ends of the earth, (Ps. lxiv 6,) come 
into my house, and let salvation enter with thee, (St. 
Luke xix 9 ;) come, that my soul, united with thee, 
may magnify its Lord, and my spirit rejoice in God 
my Saviour. (Ibid, i 46, 47.) 

Here make a memento for the dead; and afterwards recite 
the Pater Noster with the Priest. 

FROM THE PATER NOSTER TO THE AGNUS DEI. 

FATHER of my soul ! who residest in the high- 
est heavens, and yet fondly attend est to the wants 



BEFORE COMMUNION. 



303 



of thy children on earth, behold thy prodigal, but re- 
pentant child, who returns to thee penetrated with re- 
gret for having ever sought to shake oif that yoke, or 
be exempt from that burden which thou thyself hast 
pronounced to be sweet and light, (St. Matt, xi 30.) 
Pardon me, my divine Benefactor ! for thou know- 
est the clay of which I am formed ; thou rememberest 
that I am but dust. Forget my criminal abuse of thy 
mercies, for the sake of him in whose name I dare to 
address thee as my father, my friend and only happi- 
ness. Oh ! give me thy divine spirit — that spirit of 
love and adoption, which will cause me to have re- 
course to thee in all my necessities : give me a docile, 
submissive and obedient heart, that thy supremely just 
and adorable will may be the rule and principle of all 
my actions. But, above all, O Divine Lord ! give me 
the bread of life, the food of immortality ; give me thy 
divine Son : give me him, in whom thou art always 
well pleased ; that being instructed by thy wisdom and 
thy word, I may never deviate from the respect and 
love due from a child to the best, the most tender and 
indulgent of fathers. 

FROM THE AGNUS DEI TO THE COMMUNION. 

TTMMACULATE Lamb ! who comest to take away 
1 the sins of the world, let me not be excluded from 
a share in thy unbounded mercies ! Cleanse my soul ; 
purify it in the bath of thy precious blood ; adorn it, I 
entreat thee, with those virtues which will render me 
less unworthy to participate in the food of Angels. 

O adorable Majesty ! I am, it is true, wretched and 
unworthy ; but, hast thou not denominated thyself the 
Father of the poor, and shall not that endearing title 
encourage me to flee to thee, as to my Father, and the 
bjai. of friends ] Yes, my God, I will go to thee ; for, 
thou well k no west, that had I the heavens and earth 
at my disposal, I would sacrifice all, rather than forego 
the happiness I am now going to enjoy. What havel 



304 



PRAYERS AT MASS 



in heaven 7 and besides thee what do I desire upon earth ? 
.... Thou art the God of my heart, and the God that 
is my portion for ever. Ps. lxxii 25, 26. 

amiable Virgin ! thou who art styled by excel- 
lence blessed among women, show thyself now my 
tender mother and powerful advocate; obtain for me 
the grace to receive with faith, purity, fervor and hu- 
mility, the divine object of thy ardent love. 

Blessed Spirits ! you who unceasingly attend, love 
and adore the Almighty Being I am about to receive, 
intercede for me at this awful moment, and supply, by 
your ardent charity, the tender devotion with which I 
would wish to receive my Redeemer under my roof. 

FROM THE COMMUNION TO THE END OF MASS. 

ALMIGHTY Sovereign, my love and my only 
treasure ! thou hast at length satisfied the long- 
ing desires of my heart. I possess thee — I cling to 
thee : Oh ! make me thine — entirely thine. 

O Jesus ! my sweet Beatitude ! thou who consti- 
tutest the eternal bliss of thousands of enraptured 
Spirits ! is it possible that thou art at this moment re- 
posing in my heart ! Yes, I firmly believe that I pos- 
sess thee : sooner would I doubt of my existence, than 
of this adorable miracle of unspeakable love and mercy. 

Let heaven and earth participate in my joy, and 
adore with me their great Creator : and thou, in particu- 
lar, most sacred Virgin ! who didst so long bear and 
so fervently love the Treasure I now possess, praise 
and magnify his goodness ; offer him, for me, those 
rapturous joys, which filled thy pure soul at the mo- 
ment of his incarnation in thy womb, and assist me to 
make him some adequate return. 

Adorable Majesty, Lord of hoaven and earth! thou 
beholdest in my heart thy beloved Son, thy co-eternal 
incarnate Word. Oh ! let his present annihilation 
powerfully plead in my favor, fie is all mine ; his 
superabundant merits belong to me: I offer them to 



AFTER COMMUNION. 



305 



thee, my God I and in return, I ask for the most 
ardent love, profound humility, and unbounded sub- 
mission to thy adorable will. I know and feel that I 
ask a great deal and deserve nothing ; but remember, 
O Lord ! that in offering the Victim I now possess, 
my oblation is infinitely superior in value to all the 
gifts in the treasury of heaven. 

> t v .' , ,.. ., j tfloilw s m^« t ! ff oilj .fntiifotfrari 

PRAYERS AT MASS AFTER COMMUNION. 

AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF MASS. 

DIVINE Jesus, my Lord and my God ! I pos- 
sess thee now ; — thou thyself, omnipotent as 
thou art, canst give me nothing more invaluable. 
Yes, thou art mine, O most bcauUful above the sons of 
men, (Ps. xliv 3 ;) thou art mine, adorable Majesty, 
enchanting beauty, infinitely amiable goodness ! But, 
my God ! how canst thou possibly endure thy pre- 
sent habitation, far more wretched than the stable in 
which thou wast born 1 How canst thou remain with 
a soul so ungrateful, so tepid ; and, even at this mo- 
ment, so little penetrated with thy presence 1 O God, 
how hast thou multiplied thy mercies in favor of the 
least deserving of thy creatures ! Let me then taste 
and see how sweet thou art. (Ps. xxxiii 9.) O Spouse 
of my soul ! let me, wretched as I am, be inebriated 
with the plenty of thy house; let me drink of the tor' 
rent of delight, (Ps. xxxv 9,) which flows from thy 
adorable heart, now reposing in the centre of my soul. 
But, my beloved Saviour ! should not the unbounded 
profusion of thy benefits terrify me, when I consider 
my poverty, my misery and my inability to acknow- 
ledge or repay them? Yet, on the other hand, O 
Divine Benefactor! when was I ever so rich as at 
present] For I can now offer a victim of thanksgiv- 
ing proportioned to thy gifts ; I can offer thee a host 

26* 



306 



PRAYERS AT MASS 



of praise, immolated, not only on this altar, but in the 
midst of my heart. 

And thou, Jesus ! treasure of my soul ! sweet and 
mild, and plenteous in mercy, (Ps. lxxxv 5,) give ear 
to my earnest petition ; let me be now so indissolubly 
united to thee, that I may become one with thee, and 
thus be enabled to offer my whole being a sacrifice 
worthy of the God to whose glory thou art about to 
be immolated. O thou ! before whom, in an especial 
manner, are all the desires of my heart; thou, to whom 
its inmost recesses are disclosed, create within me 
that humble, meek, and fervent heart which will make 
me pleasing and acceptable in thy sight; let thy di- 
vine presence fill my soul with consolation and peace, 
and let thy mercies be now upon me, according to the 
hope I have placed in thee. 



GOD of my soul ! permit me to sing to thee a 



vj 

new canticle, because in my favor thou hast done 
wonderful things. Ps. xcvii 1. Oh! suffer me to 
bless thy adorable name, because thou art good, and 
thy mercy endureth for ever. But, Lord ! wretched as 
I am, I can this day render thee a homage worthy to 
ascend in thy presence, and be received by thee as an 
odor of sweetness. In union with him, who is the 
splendor of thy glory and the figure of thy substance, 
(Heb. i 3,) I praise, I bless, I extol thy greatness. 
By him, and in him, I adore, love and magnify thy 
mercies; and, above all, by him, O omnipotent Cre- 
ator! I thank thee for that glory, that majesty, that 
felicity, which is essential to thyself, and which the 
ingratitude of thy creatures can never lessen. Ah! 
why cannot I extol thy goodness with lips purified as 
were those of the prophet ? Why cannot I, Jesus 
residing in my heart, burn with the ardor which con- 
sumed the heavenly Spirits, that first sang the praises 
of thy hidden Majesty and infant greatness 1 More 



AT THE GLORIA IN EXCELSIS. 




AFTER COMMUNION. 



307 



ardent, though infinitely less favored than I am, they 
proclaimed, in raptures of joy, the blessings thou wert 
come to scatter upon earth. Oh ! that I had the 
hearts, the voices of men and Angels, to thank thee 
for those with which thy coming has this day en- 
riched me! Peace of my soul, Companion of my 
pilgrimage, sweet Comfort of my exile! let me find 
peace in thee — do thou reign in my soul, and let thy 
dominion be absolute over all its powers, affections, 
desires and movements. Let my perverse inclinations 
be so lost in unbounded resignation to the orders of 
thy amiable providence, that I may have no will but 
thine ; no pursuit but that of pleasing thee ; no desire 
but that of enjoying thee eternally. 

AT THE GOSPEL. 

ETERNAL Truth ! how happy are those, who 
listen to thy divine inspirations, who hide thy 
words in their hearts, that they may never sin against 
thee. (Psalm cxviii 11.) 0! that my ways may be 
henceforth directed to keep thy justifications! Ibid. 5. 
Oh ! that I may this day learn from thy own divine 
lips, that true life consists in knowing and loving 
thee alone ! Eternal Wisdom, proceeding out of the 
mouth of the Most High, with might and with sweet- 
ness disposing all things, thou reposest at this mo- 
ment in my heart; it is thy throne, thy possession : 
teach me then the ways of prudence, simplicity, hu- 
mility and obedience. But alas, dearest Jesus ! I 
deserve not thy heavenly lessons ; I am unworthy 
that thou shouldst speak to my souL for I have often 
transgressed thy law, trampled on thy graces, and 
slighted the sweet and merciful inspirations of thy 
love. Oh ! had I always listened to thy divine voice ; 
had I fled from sin with the horror it is calculated to 
inspire ; had I valued, as I ought, the graces which 
were purchased for me by thy precious blood, how 
near should I be to thee at this moment, my sovereign 



308 



PRAYERS AT MASS 



and only Good ! uncreated Light ! discover to me 
the hidden secrets of thy love : show me thy great- 
ness, thy goodness, thy beauty : enlighten my under- 
standing, that I may discern thy divine inspirations ; 
and- do thou, Love of my soul ! do thou touch my 
heart, and, by a sweet violence, constrain me to be 
thine solely, constantly, unreservedly. O sacred 
Light ! discover to me my miseries, my weakness, my 
errors, my nothingness, and all the windings and 
illusions of my own self-love ; dispel them all, I con- 
jure thee, by thy refulgent beams, that I may see thee 
in myself, and myself in thee, St. Aug. 

AT THE OFFERTORY. 

O ADORABLE Jesus ! how wretched should I 
be, could the sacrifice of all that is dearest to me 
on earth, now cost me a sigh ; how miserably blind 
should I be to my own eternal and temporal welfare, 
did I refuse my heart to thee, for whom alone it was 
created, and who alone canst constitute its felicity. 
Yet, dearest treasure of my soul ! in offering thee 
all that I have and am, what do I present ? A soul 
redeemed indeed by thy precious blood, but stained 
with such sins as should render it an object of horror 
in thy sight; a body whose revolts against the spirit 
would long since have tried any other than divine 
patience ; a will so often and so obstinately adverse 
to thine, and a heart so tepid, so cold, so insensible 
of thy benefits and thy mercies, so long steeled against 
thy love and the sweet inspirations of thy grace, so 
devoted to creatures, and so full of attachment to all 
that is not thee. O my God ! wilt thou again accept 
the wretched offering which I have so often made ; 
but which, in my infatuation, I have as often re- 
claimed ? Yes, my Jesus, thou wilt accept it; for I 
present it to thee, not single, but incorporated with 
thee, by as close, as intimate a union as God can con- 
tract with a creature. 



AFTER COMMUNION. 



309 



my beloved and most merciful Lord ! do thou 
crown thy mercies by bestowing on me now the only 
offering thou desirest to receive from thy unworthy 
creature, namely, an humble, contrite, grateful and 
fervent heart. Thou U whose words are works," give 
me that generous, unbounded spirit of sacrifice and 
oblation, which will give thee all, and leave me no- 
thing but the bitterest regret for having ever refused 
thee the dominion of my heart. O Love, supremely 
adorable, transcendently amiable ! Love, extended for 
my sake, to lengths so prodigious, so incomprehen- 
sible ! I conjure thee to operate so powerfully on me, 
that the sacrifice I now offer may extend, at least, to 
the little I have to bestow. Yes, my beloved Saviour ! 
take my body, my soul, my life — take all that I have, 
or am, in union with thy own adorable self ; but I 
conjure thee, by thy sacred heart, and the tender 
bowels of thy mercy, to deprive me also of my most 
fatal power — that of offending thee. 

AT THE PREFACE. 

ADORABLE King of heaven and earth! thou 
art he whose greatness and whose majesty no 
created intelligence can ever comprehend, and whose 
infinitely amiable perfections no human heart can ever 
sufficiently love. How then shall I presume to ap- 
pear before thee] how shall I offer the weak tribute 
of my adoration before that throne, which reposes on 
eternity] Yet, my sovereign Lord! in consideration 
of the august Victim reposing in my heart, permit me, 
notwithstanding my wretchedness, misery, and un- 
worthiness, to reply to the invitation of thy minister, 
and to offer thee my most fervent adoration, in union 
with the countless myriads who prostrate themselves 
at thy feet, and cast their crowns before thy throne. 
(Jlpoc. iv 10.) Oh! suffer me to love and contem- 
plate thee, in union with the enraptured Spirits, who 
ever know and ever love thee, yet always sigh after 



310 



PRAYERS AT MASS 



purer flames, always burn with desire to penetrate still 
deeper into the fathomless abyss of thy adorable per- 
fections. Yet, why resort to the ministry of Saints 
or Angels ] Do not I possess thee, most amiable 
Jesus, the Holy of Holies, the Lord of Angels ] Am I 
not enabled by thee, the great High-Priest, who hath 
penetrated the heavens, (Heb. iv 14,) to join worthily 
in the praises which resound in the heavenly Jerusa- 
lem 1 O yes, Beloved of my soul, sweet hope, deli- 
cious consolation of my exile ! thou art this day come 
to me. Blessed for ever be that infinite mercy, which 
is come to pardon me ; blessed be that love which is 
come to inflame me ; blessed be that liberality which 
is come to enrich me, to supply my deficiency, and to 
enable me to offer w T ith thee, and by thee, a tribute of 
praise, not unworthy of him, the figure of whose sub- 
stance thou art. {Heb. i 3.) Son of David, Son of 
the Most High God ! may never-ending hosannas 
celebrate thy mercies heaped on me, and may I, 
through thy boundless goodness, one day join in the 
eternal praise, which will ascend before the throne of 
him, to whom is due honor and benediction, and who 
liveth for ever and ever ! Apoc. iv 9. 

AT THE CANON. 

O SWEET Jesus, the Redeemer of all men ! thou, 
who art come to save even those who were lost; 
thou, who wast immolated, because it was thy will, 
and whose adorable blood was shed for many to the 
remission of sins ! deign to listen to the prayers I now 
offer, not for myself alone, but for the great family of 
mankind, whose Creator, Lord and sovereign Master 
thou art. Permit me to offer my supplications for the 
peace and prosperity of that Holy, Catholic and Apos- 
tolic Church, which was founded on thy unerring 
word, established by thy miracles, enriched by thy 
merits, and peopled by thy Saints — of that Church, 
whose unworthy child I am, in whose bosom, through 



AFTER COMMUNION. 



311 



thy grace, I resolve to live and die — that Church, 
which has this day imparted to me her most precious 
treasure, in giving me the adorable body and blood of 
her heavenly Spouse. O my God ! bless, sanctify 
and protect thy representative on earth ; have mercy 
on the bishops, priests and all who labor in thy vine- 
yard ; animate them with zeal for the salvation of 
souls, which are the purchase of thy blood ; give 
them prudence, perseverance, humility and patience ; 
inflame their hearts with the burning ardors which 
consumed those holy Apostles, whose sound hath gone 
forth into all the earth ; and whose words unto the ends 
of the world, (Ps. xviii 5 :) let their lives be immacu- 
late as the law they profess to inculcate : in fine, O 
Jesus, adorable High-Priest of our souls ! make them 
all, men according to thy own divine heart ; and let 
their light so shine before men, that they, seeing their 
good works, may glorify their Father who is in hea- 
ven. (St. Matt, v 16.) O my God! I also supplicate 
thee in behalf of all Ecclesiastical Seminaries, all 
Religious Orders, and especially in behalf of my 
own dear Community : I most earnestly conjure thee, 
through the infinite love which burned in thy sacred 
heart, when thou wast offered on Mount Calvary for 
the salvation of the universe, to have compassion on 
the infatuated multitudes who refuse to share in the 
superabundant redemption thou hast purchased for 
them. O God of goodness ! show forth the riches of 
thy infinite mercy, by pardoning those who are thy 
enemies. Art thou not the Lamb that wast slain, and 
hast thou not redeemed us to God, in thy blood, out of 
every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation, and 
made us to our God a kingdom! Apoc. v 9, 10. Ah! 
suffer none to be excluded from that saving faith, 
which is the only secure road to thee ; let all hear thy 
voice, good Pastor of our souls ! that all may fol- 
low thee, and let there be but one sheepfold and one 
Shepherd. Permit me, also, adorable Jesus ! to im- 



312 



PRAYERS AT MASS 



plore thy compassionate mercy on all those unhappy 
sinners who, having received from thee the precious 
gift of faith, have suffered the light to become dark- 
ness in their hearts. Lord, forgive them, for they 
know not what they do. No, my God, they little know 
what they do in forsaking thee, the fountain of living 
water, and digging to themselves cisterns, broken cis- 
terns, that can hold no water, (Jer. ii 13;) they are 
not aware, O enchanting Beauty ! of the infinite good 
they relinquish, in fleeing from thy extended arms ; 
they little know thee, when they love thee not ; and 
they have no conception of the sweet consolations 
which are found in thy service, when they consent to 
serve any master beside thee. But, O my dearest 
Love ! do thou convert them, and they shall be con- 
verted ; draw them to thee in the bonds of charity; 
teach them, before it be too late, that they were cre- 
ated to love and serve thee alone ; and let that im- 
portant truth so deeply impress their hearts, that they 
may sincerely return to thy paternal bosom, and rejoice 
the Angels themselves by their perfect conversion. 

AT THE ELEVATION. 

JESUS, my most beloved and most adorable 
Saviour ! by what miracle of mercy do I again 
behold thee on this altar? Ah, my God, my Life, my 
only Good ! when wilt thou set bounds to that love 
which is so often abused ; when wilt thou shield thy 
too often slighted Majesty from the insults it receives 
in this adorable, ineffable mystery] O that I could 
repair them all in this moment by the sacrifice of ten 
thousand lives ! that my heart could burst with 
regret for having ever forgotten that thou art here, for 
my sake, a God incarnate, a God immolated, and, 
alas ! too often offended, in this sacrifice of love ! Ah ! 
how true it is that thy delights are to be with the chil- 
dren of men. Pro v. viii 31. Why then is it not my 
supreme joy, my only comfort, O Beatitude of the 



AFTER COMMUNION. 



313 



blessed, to be with thee] Thou alone spreadest out 
the heavens, and walkest upon the waves of the sea, 
(Job ix 8;) thy footstool is the firmament, and thy 
eternal throne is surrounded by enraptured Spirits, 
whom thou hast crowned with never-fading glory. 
Thou art there adored as a God of incomprehensible 
majesty, and loved as infinite goodness itself; yet, O 
ineffable, incomprehensible prodigy of love ! thou 
quittest that throne, thou bo west down the very hea- 
vens, to descend on this altar, and thence into the 
wretched mansion of my soul. I need not then ascend 
to heaven to find thee, O my beloved Lord ! I need 
not even seek on this altar the treasure I desire ; for, 
in a more intimate, a more endearing manner, thou 
art at this instant all mine ! O Omnipotence ! 
Bounty ! Love ! what great things hast thou done 
in my soul! But, my God — God of goodness ! what 
can be the reason that I am so little sensible of thy 
adorable presence ] How is it that I hide fire within 
my bosom, and yet do not burn] (Prov. vi 27;) that 
1 drink of the fountain of life, (Ps. xxxv 10,) and 
yet am not replenished] Why do I languish under 
the weight of spiritual sloth, weakness, and tepidity, 
when I possess within my soul the very principle of 
life ! O most amiable Jesus ! if it is so sweet to love 
thee, to think on thee, when thou art present in the 
soul only by the influence of thy grace, what rap- 
turous delights would overflow my heart, now that 
thou art actually present therein, did not my sins and 
imperfections put a thousand obstacles to thy merciful 
designs ! O Love — Divine Love ! how little return 
hast thou ever met in my heart ! — but, my God, what 
can resist thee ] Hast thou not often triumphed over 
hearts equal in malice even to mine ] Do then, I con- 
jure thee, that for which thou art come: transform 
rae into thyself, and let me feel within my soul the 
effect of thy merciful request, viz., that we should be 

27 



314 



PRAYERS AT MASS 



one with thee, as thou and thy eternal Father are one. 
(St. Joknx 30.) 

AT THE SECOND MEMENTO. 

OGOD, Creator, and Father of all men! thou art 
the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in 
thee, even though he were dead, shall certainly live, 
and enjoy in thy kingdom the true liberty of the chil- 
dren of God. Look down, then, I beseech thee, with 
compassion and mercy, on those suffering souls who 
have always believed and confessed thy sacred saving 
name. sovereign Lord, the hope of all the ends of 
the earth, (Ps. lxiv 6,) remember that they are the 
work of thy own hands, (Job x 3,) created in thy 
power, redeemed in thy mercy, preserved in thy good- 
ness, and formed to thy adorable image. Ah! why 
then hidest thou thy face from those who have been 
always dear to thy sacred Heart, and who long to be- 
hold and enjoy thee, their sovereign beatitude? Ac- 
cept, eternal God ! accept, in their favor, the adora- 
ble Victim I now possess, and the merit of whose 
adorations and humiliations in my heart I willingly 
transfer to those who are thy friends, though banished 
for a time from thy divine presence. Apply to them, 
also, O Lord, the indulgence which thy church this 
day holds forth, in thy name, to worthy communi- 
cants, and let not my imperfect dispositions be an ob- 
stacle to the exercise of thy mercy in their behalf. 
Oh ! cease, in consideration of thy beloved Son, cease 
to remember their iniquities, and take no further re- 
venge of their sins. I particularly implore thy mercy, 
O Lord, for my parents, friends, and benefactors; for 
all those who are most abandoned to the rigors of thy 
justice ; for those to whoso sufferings I may have 
been in any manner accessary ; for all who, during 
life, were most devoted to the adorable Sacrament of 
thy infinite love ; and also for those who were the 
fervent clients of thy blessed Mother. Almighty 



AFTER COMMUNION. 315 

Lord! transport them into thy bosom, where they 
may be replenished with the goods of thy house; con- 
firm them in thy sight for ever, that they may joyfully 
sing a hymn to thee in Sion, and pay to thee a vow in 
Jerusalem. (Ps. lxiv 1.) 

AT THE PATER NOSTER. 

ALMIGHTY Lord ! how shall I presume to ad- 
dress thee as my Father, since by my ingrati- 
tude, my criminal abuse of thy goodness, I have long 
since forfeited the title of thy child'? O my God! I 
acknowledge, in the bitterness of my soul, that I have 
squandered thy graces, abused thy patience and long- 
suffering; that I have been deaf to thy voice, and 
have unnaturally abandoned thee, my only Good. I 
have sinned, grievously sinned, against heaven, and 
before thee ; and were I treated as I too well deserve, 
I should be for ever excluded from that kingdom which 
I was created to enjoy. However, I will not despair; 
no, I will rise this very moment, and go to my Father; 
for I possess within my soul the sweetest, surest 
pledge of my forgiveness. Thou canst not behold 
me, without looking at the same time on the face of 
that dear Son, whose delight, while on earth, was to 
do thy blessed will. But, my God ! hast thou not 
already anticipated my conversion] Didst thou not 
see me from afar, by facilitating the means of my re- 
turn to thy arms ] Didst thou not clothe me in the 
tribunal of thy mercy with the robe of innocence 1 
And this very day hast thou not fed me with the hea- 
venly banquet which is prepared only for the children 
of thy kingdom ] Oh ! yes ; thou art my most loving 
Father, for thou hast opened thy heart as well as thy 
arms to receive me. But why,' my sovereign Love ! 
why dost thou load me with mercies, often denied to 
those whom thou hast always with thee, and who 
have never disobeyed thee in any thing] Ah! it is 
because thou art mercy itself; it is because I was 



i 



316 



PRAYERS AT MASS 



lost, and thou hast found me ; because I was dead, 
and by thy all-reviving grace I am now reanimated. 
Oh! complete thy mercies, Infinite Goodness! Re- 
store unto me the joy of thy salvation, (Ps. 1 14 ;) re- 
store to me, I conjure thee, that sweet peace, that 
solid content, that inexpressible happiness, I enjoyed 
in thy service. I am not worthy to be called thy 
child, but I entreat thee, once more, in the name of 
thy beloved Son, to receive me among the least of 
those who are happy enough to love and serve thee; 
for better is one day in thy courts above thousands 
(Ps. lxxxiii 11) spent in those deceitful joys which 
sad experience has taught me to despise. 

AT THE DOMINE NON SUM DIGNUS. 

DEAREST Jesus! most loving and beloved Sa- 
viour ! I was not worthy to receive thee — I am 
unworthy to possess thee — and I acknowledge myself 
infinitely undeserving of thy stay in my heart. Yes, 
Lord ! I feel that I am not worthy to retain the in- 
valuable treasure of thy precious body ; for, spotless 
Purity ! adorable Sanctity ! how canst thou remain in 
my soul ? How canst thou endure the sight of so 
many stains, so much misery, tepidity, abomination! 
Oh ! may the love and humility of this thy minister, 
and of every other happy soul, who is at this moment 
about to receive thee in any part of the world, com- 
pensate thee for the little preparation thou hast found 
in my heart : and may their ardent thanksgiving and 
lively gratitude offer thee such homage as thou canst 
never expect or receive from me. Prepare them all, 
divine Jesus ! for their approaching happiness, and 
may they profit more abundantly by thy grace than I 
can hope to do. But, my God ! since thou hast con- 
descended to enter under my roof — since thou hast 
come in person, when one word would have sufficed, 
leave me not without effecting the cure, for which 
thou art come. Oh ! depart not until thou hast planted 



AFTER COMMUNION. 



317 



on the ruins of my pride and vanity, those divine vir- 
tues of humility and meekness so dear to thy adorable 
heart; so peculiarly illustrated in thy sacred person, 
and so eloquently preached by thy divine example. 
Teach me, then, I conjure thee, the humility of thy 
cross ; that divine science, of which I have been so 
long- ignorant, and which I can only learn from thee ; 
teach me to walk in thy footsteps, or rather oblige me 
to follow thee ; for alas ! that pride, which is common 
to all the children of Adam, is, in me, considerably 
heightened by the peculiar depravity of my heart. 
But, O my beloved Lord, do thou make choice of that 
heart, corrupt as it is, to model it after thine own, and 
to fill it with the love of contempt and abjection. 
Then, adorable Jesus ! then only shall my supplica- 
tions be acceptable in thy sight ; for thou hast regard 
to the prayer of the humble, and thou despisest not their 
petition, Ps. ci 18. 

AT THE BLESSING, AND LAST GOSPEL. 

/ have found him whom my soul loveth ; I have held 
him ; and I will not let him go. Cant, iii 4. 

NO, my sovereign Happiness ! thou shalt never 
leave me, until thou bless me ; until thou givest 
that efficacious benediction, which will never depart 
from me ; until thou placest thyself as a seal upon my 
heart, {Ibid, viii 6,) and close every avenue of my soul 
to all that is less than thee. But, Lord, whither art 
thou going ? Why cannot I follow thee ] Yes, be- 
loved of my soul ! that the world may know that J 
love thee, I will follow thee even unto death ; for I 
have sworn, and from this happy day I am resolved to 
keep thy commandments. {Ps, cxviii.) Yet, my 
God ! with what fear, with what diffidence should I 
make these promises ] How should I blush to pre- 
sent thee a heart, which has been a thousand times 
offered, and as often reclaimed 1 How often have I 
vowed eternal fidelity to thy law, and how shamefully 

27* 



318 



RAYERS AT MASS 



have I fled, when an occasion occurred of proving the 
sincerity of my resolution ! Thou hast given me thy 
life, thy blood, thy sufferings, and I have ungratefully 
refused thee the most trifling sacrifices. Ah ! dearest 
Jesus ! such have I been : thus have I hitherto acted ; 
and what I once did, I may, and certainly shall do 
again, if abandoned by thee. I do, however, again 
promise to love thee, to serve thee, to forget all for 
thy love, to be thine, thine only, entirely and for ever. 
Thou knowest, Searcher of hearts! (Rom. viii 27,) 
that in making this promise I depend not on my 
wretched self, but solely on that grace which thou hasl 
declared is sufficient, and which has been abundantly 
communicated to me in the bread of the strong, the 
heavenly manna, which I have this day received. 
But, Lord ! thou to whom futurity is no less present 
than this moment, thou alone knowest whether T shall 
persevere : into thy hands, therefore, I commend my 
spirit ; to thee I commit, with confidence, the care of 
a soul far more dear to thee than to me : but this one 
favor I ask, through thy own adorable heart, that thou 
wilt take me out of the world rather than suffer me to 
live to offend thee ; for every species of torment, even 
that of hell itself, would be more tolerable to me, than 
the loss of thee, my sovereign Good ! by mortal sin. 

O Love, adorable Love of my soul ! more ancient 
than those mortals, who are the objects of thy tender- 
ness — more durable than time, and hitherto proof 
against my crying ingratitude ! what is it that shall 
now separate me from thee 1 what shall ever deprive 
me of the treasure I possess? Shall it be sickness, 
poverty or contradiction ] No, my beloved Jesus ! 
for thou art my health, my inheritance, my sweet un- 
alterable repose ; nor shall humiliation, affliction, or 
weakness, remove thee from me; for thou art my glory, 
my consolation, my sovereign strength. No, my God ! 
even my miseries themselves, countless as they are, 
shall never burst the bonds of our union ; for power is 



AFTER COMMUNION. 



319 



made perfect in infirmity, (2 Cor. xii 9,) and my soul 
is wretched enough to call forth the exercise of thy 
omnipotence as well as of thy mercy. my adorable 
Beatitude ! behold, now is the acceptable time, in which 
thou wilt hear me ; behold now is the day of salva- 
tion, in which thou wilt help me ; now is the moment, 
when I shall ask and receive, that my joy may be 
complete. Give me, then, I beseech thee, such vir- 
tues as thou seest most necessary for me ; teach me 
by patience to run to the fight proposed unto us ; looking 
on thee, Divine Jesus, the author and finisher of my 
faith; (Heb. xii 1, 2;) and may that hope, that firm 
confidence in thy mercy, which I have laid up in my 
bosom, (Job xix 27,) never forsake me ; for thou art 
the protector of my life, of whom shall I be afraid 1 
No, though I should walk in the midst of the shadow 
of death, I will fear no evils, for thou art with me, (Ps. 
xxii 4,) thou art my God and my Saviour, / will deal 
confidently, and will not fear, Isaias xii. Give me 
also, most loving- Jesus ! so perfect a conformity to 
thy divine will, that I may cheerfully submit to the 
dispensations of thy all-wise and amiable Providence: 
give me so lively a sense of thy adorable presence, 
that I may think only of my beloved, whose turning 
is towards me. Cant, vii 10. Let me see thee in all 
things, and all things in thee ; and let every motion 
of my heart tend to th3 accomplishment of thy will, 
for thou art he whom my soul loveth, and I will run 
after thee to the odor of thy ointments. Cant, i 3. Give 
me also the spirit of prayer; teach me thyself to ask so 
that I may receive ; to seek with that earnestness 
which insures success ; and to knock with that perse- 
vering fervor which will open to me the exhaustless 
treasures of thy adorable heart. my God! confirm 
that which thou hast wrought in me — stay with me, 
for it is late. Alas ! my life is far spent, and as yet 
I have done nothing for thee, my own Beloved. O 
eternal Beauty ! why did I not love thee sooner ] O 



320 PRAYERS AT MASS AFTER COMItfUNION. 



infinite Goodness ! why was not every transport of 
ray soul, from the moment it was capable of loving, 
reserved for thee alone ? Oh ! grant that now, at least, 
I may remain in thy love ,• (St. John xv 9 ;) give me, 
I beseech thee, that lively, generous, ardent, perfect 
charity which casteth out fear ; (1 St. John iv 18;) 
that charity which many waters cannot quench, and 
which floods cannot drown; (Cant, viii 7;) that cha- 
rity which is patient and kind — which believeth all 
things, hopeih all things, endureth all things. 1 Cor. 
xiii 4, 7. O God of Charity ! God of Love ! thou 
hast given me thy adorable body, let me entreat thee 
then to remain with me, for thou thyself art that love, 
to purchase which I would give all I possess, and de- 
spise it as nothing. Cant, viii 7. Delight of the 
blessed, beloved companion of my banishment ! re- 
main with me" by the influence of thy all-powerful 
grace, and henceforward may all the sighs of my 
heart, all the respirations of my soul, be so many fer- 
vent acts of love and union with thee, in this most 
amiable, most adorable sacrament. my God ! take 
my whole being, take my whole heart, and therein for 
ever reign with absolute sway, that I may never ac- 
knowledge any king, any master, any lover but thee. 
my sovereign Beatitude ! may I die rather than for- 
get thy infinite goodness, thy unspeakable mercies ; 
may these same mercies give thee glory ,• and may they 
follow me all the days of my life ! Ps. cvi 8 ; xxii 6. 
In the strength of the heavenly nourishment which I 
have received, may I walk steadily in the paths of vir- 
tue, until I come to that happy region, where I shall 
eternally sing Benediction, and glory, and wisdom, and 
thanksgiving, honor, and power, and strength to our 
God for ever and ever. Jlmen. Apoc. vii 12. 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE THE ADORABLE SACRAMENT. 



My delights are to be with the children of men. Prov. 
viii 31. 

Come to me, all you that labor, and are heavy laden, and 
1 will refresh you. St. Matt, xi 28. 

OUR most merciful Lord and Saviour, with a love and 
condescension that can never be understood, vouch- 
safes to remain day and night in our churches. Having 
loved his own, who were in the world, he loved them unto the 
end. Let us then approach often, with humility, love, 
and confidence, to the sacred tabernacle in which he is 
really present, to receive our homages, our renewed pro- 
testations of love and fidelity, to listen to our wishes, and 
to grant the desires of our hearts. 

This sovereign Lord and merciful Saviour never refuses 
to listen to any one : present ourselves whenever we may, 
we are always sure of being received by him with divine 
generosity and a tenderness truly parental. 

Let us then, whilst going to the church, say: Rejoice, 
my soul, for we are going into the house of our Lord ; let 
us banish every other thought, and prepare ourselves, in 
the best manner we can, to appear before our God and 
Saviour. 

Being come into the church, let us prostrate ourselves 
at the foot of our Saviour, and annihilate ourselves as 
much as possible in the presence of him, at whose sacred 
name all that is in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, 
bends the knee. Then let us remain some moments in si- 
lence : it is generally more useful, when before our Divine 
Lord, to meditate a great deal, and to speak but little. 
The language of the heart is much more pleasing to him 
than many prayers said with precipitation, or without at- 
tention. 

Let us then, penetrated with a lively faith, and full of a 
holy confidence, go to our beloved Saviour, as to the kind- 
est of friends and the best of parents, as to our God and 
our All. Let us lay our hearts open before him, and speak 
to him of all our infirmities, pains of body or mind, of all 
our wants and all our weaknesses. 

Let us sometimes say to him, with the sisters of 
Lazarus : 

321 



322 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE 



If ORD, the soul which thou lovest is sick — the soul 
for which thou wast made man, for which thou 
didst shed thy precious blood, for which thou remain- 
est continually on this altar, and to which thou so 
often givest the inestimable treasure of thy adorable 
hody and blood. 

Let us sometimes cast ourselves at the feet of our dear- 
est Lord, with his loving and penitent Magdalen, and, if 
we have not devotion enough to shed tears as she did, let 
us remain at least in silence and contemplation with her; 
or, if we speak, let it be to express, with St. Thomas, the 
sentiments of admiration, respect, and love, with which 
we should be penetrated, and say to him, with a lively 
faith : 

OMY Jesus, thou art my Lord and my God: what 
have I in heaven, and besides thee what do I desire 
upon earth ? Thou art the God of my heart, my por- 
tion for ever. yes, my Jesus, I have on this altar 
all that constitutes the happiness of the saints in hea- 
ven, and of the just on earth. Thou art my only re- 
fuge, my only consolation, my best friend, my Sa- 
viour, my God, my All. Yes, my God, my All, 1 
believe that thou art here really present with me : yes, 
I firmly believe this miracle of love and mercy. But, 
O my Jesus ! grant that my faith in this adorable mys- 
tery may continually increase, and that my profound 
respect and love in thy divine presence may prove 
that I believe. 

We may also, after the example of the Canaanite wo- 
man, ask of our adorable Saviour, with a holy importunity, 
all the graces of which we have need. Persuaded that 
this merciful Saviour loves us with tenderness, and that 
he is on this altar only for our benefit, let us say to him 
with confidence : 

JESUS, son of David, have mercy on me; be 
moved with compassion for my innumerable mise- 
ries, and graciously regard the desires of my heart. I 



THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. 



323 



know that it is not good to take the bread of the children 
and cast it to the dogs ; but since thou gavest thyself to 
me, how can I doubt of receiving all that I want for 
soul or body? 

We may also accompany this perseverance with re- 
newed and respectful confidence, and say to him : 

THOU hast promised, my dearest Saviour! that 
we should receive whatever we would ask of 
thy heavenly Father in thy name: therefore, in thy 
name I now beg of him the grace to correct myself 
of this imperfection, which is such an obstacle to my 
advancement in virtue; the grace to overcome this 
predominant passion, which is the source of so many 
faults ; the grace to acquire this virtue, so necessary 
for my salvation. 

O my adorable Saviour ! in thy sweet name, I beg 
of thee the conversion of this relation, this friend ; 
the success of this undertaking, &c, &c, if it would 
be for my salvation and for thy glory ; and thy bless- 
ing upon all our employments and undertakings. 

My Jesus ! thou knowest that I have this defect ; 
that I stand in need of this virtue ; that, in adversity, 
I have no courage ; in prosperity, no moderation ; on 
such and such occasions, no fortitude. Thou knowest 
that I have not enough of faith, that my confidence is 
sometimes wavering, and that my love for thee is very 
weak. 

Thou knowest that I am surrounded by enemies ; 
that the world is full of dangers, full of snares : assist 
me, then, by thy all-powerful grace, my God and Sa- 
viour, I beseech thee, that I may love and serve thee 
with more fidelity, and that I may persevere to the 
end. 

My Jesus ! when I ask thee for health, this success, 
this temporal advantage, perhaps I do not know for 
what I am asking; deign, on these occasions, my 
Lord, to rectify my desires. 



324 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE 



Sometimes it is good to think of the cause we have 
given God to be angry with us, and to punish our crimes 
severely. Considering the Eternal Father irritated, and 
ready to make us feel the effects of his justice, let us offer 
him his only Son, really present on our altars, the only 
Victim worthy of him, and by whom alone we can render 
any acceptable homage to his supreme dominion, and dis- 
arm his anger; then let us say, with the Prophet : 

IT is true, O my God ! that I deserve to be treated 
as a rebellious slave ; but behold thy beloved Son, 
who offers thee his perfect obedience, and the almost 
annihilation of himself on this altar, to atone for my 
sins of disobedience and pride. heavenly Father ! 
I offer thee our Jesus in return for all the favors which 
I have received from thee, and for the graces I still 
desire. I do not deserve any thing, it is true ; but I 
offer thee him who merits infinitely more than I can 
ever ask. I consent that thou shouldst refuse me the 
pardon of my sins, and new graces, if he whose 
merits I offer has not fully paid the price of them for 
me. But, Father of mercy ! thou wilt not be able 
to refuse any thing I ask in virtue of the merits of 
thy Well-beloved Son : these merits are all mine, 
since he himself has made a transfer of them to me. 

Eternal Father ! I ask a great deal, it is true ; but, 
in return, I offer thee the body and blood of thy di- 
vine Son, - immolated upon this altar, as a Victim of 
impetration for all my wants and desires. What can 

1 ask so great that it w T iil not be infinitely below the 
adorable Victim I offer ] Look down then on thy 
holy Son, the object of thy complacency, and see if 
thou canst refuse me any thing. 

We may sometimes reflect on the few who come to 
adore the Lord in our churches, whilst so many go in 
crowds to profane assemblies ; and imagine that our divine 
Saviour addresses himself to us, and says to us, as he said to 
his disciples : Will you also go away ? Then, penetrated 
with the most tender sentiments of regret, of gratitude 



THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. 325 



and love, let us renew our protestations of faith, of fidelity 
and devotedness, and say, with St. Peter : 

f ORB, to whom shall we go ? thou hast the words of 
eternal life. What, my God ! leave thee to join 
with thy enemies against thee ! What, my God ! for- 
sake thee for a vile interest, for a passing gratifica- 
tion, for the love of creatures ! Oh ! if I should ever 
be so unhappy as to leave thee, who could indemnify 
me for so inconceivable a loss ] 

Let us sometimes remain afar of, as the publican, and, 
with a contrite and humble heart, say : 

d~\ GOD ! be merciful to me, a sinner. Look down 
with compassion on me, a wretched sinner, im- 
ploring thy mercy. Here thy mercy reigns ; in this 
holy place thou wilt not reject a contrite and humble 
heart. 

It is also a holy practice to cast ourselves at the feet 
of our Lord, as the young man in the Gospel, who 
went to him to know what he should do to be saved; and 
to listen in profound recollection to what he will say to 
our hearts; then meditate for some time on what he 
has said to us, and resolve to do what we would desire to 
have done at the hour of our death. Before we leave 
the church, let us beg our Divine Lord to give us his 
blessing, and say to him : Lord, I will not go, except thou 
bless vie. 

There are many other practices of piety which we may 
follow at this time. We may meditate, remain in silence 
at our Saviour's feet, &c, &c. Spiritual Communion is 
a devotion particularly suited to these visits. But what- 
ever practice we follow, whatever prayer we make, we 
should always remember that it is to Jesus, or that it is at 
his feet we make it. 



28 



326 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE 



DEVOUT PRAYERS. 
I. 

OMOST adorable Jesus ! whom thy own infinite 
love induces to dwell among us, thy unworthy 
servants, in the adorable Sacrament of the Altar, re- 
ceive, I beseech thee, my profound adoration. I firmly 
believe that thou art really present in the holy Eu- 
charist, as powerful, as amiable, and as adorable as 
thou art in heaven; thou hast mercifully hidden the 
splendor of thy Majesty, lest it should deter us from 
approaching thy sanctuary. I believe thou dwellest 
on our altars, not only to receive our adorations, but 
to listen to our petitions — to remedy our evils — to be 
the strength and nourishment of our souls, our power- 
ful helper, our refuge and our sacrifice. I hope in 
that boundless mercy which detains thee among us, 
poor weak sinners. I love that infinite goodness, 
which induces thee to communicate thyself so libe- 
rally and so wonderfully to thy creatures : I thank 
thee for so convincing a proof of thy love, and ardently 
wish that I could worthily acknowledge all the bless- 
ings I have ever received from this fountain of grace 
and mercy. I sincerely regret that this precious 
pledge of thy love is received by the generality with 
such coldness and indifference. 

Alas ! I myself have had too much share, by my 
ungrateful conduct, in wounding thy merciful heart 
on this altar, and I am more guilty than others, since 
very few have been so much favored. Thou hast not 
only granted me abundantly the general blessing's, 
which this fountain of grace pours on the world ; but 
thou hast provided me with the most favorable op- 
portunities of loving and adoring thee in this august 
mystery. 

Thou hast placed me close to thy sanctuary, where 
I can recur to thee frequently, and daily behold the 
sacrifice on the altar. Ah ! my good God ! I am now 



THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. 



327 



convinced that thou deservest "from me all the love 
that my heart is capable of feeling; therefore, I humbly 
consecrate to thee all rny affections, and firmly resolve, 
from this moment, to endeavor to imitate the respect, 
gratitude, and love, which always distinguished those 
among thy faithful servants, who were most peculiarly 
devoted to the august Sacrament of the Altar. Accept, 
Divine Jesus, ail the sacrifices of Mass, that have 
been offered, and that will be offered hereafter, 
throughout the whole world, in thanksgiving for the 
institution of this amiable mystery ; in atonement for 
all the insults, irreverences, and sacrileges which 
have ever been committed against it, and to im- 
plore for myself and all creatures a solid devotion 
to the holy Eucharist. Mercifully give efficacy to my 
ardent desire of worthily honoring thee in this ador- 
able mystery, and grant me, through thy divine heart, 
a share in the purity and fervor of the Angels, who 
day and night surround thy sanctuary, and of all those 
who have loved thee most in this sacred mystery; 
that I may serve thee with sincerity and perseverance 
during my life, and be so happy, at length, as to 
enjoy thee in the splendor of thy glory for a happy 
eternity. Amen. 

II.* 

OliY soul! what art thou doing] This is not a 
time to be lost; this time is precious, since thou 
mayest now obtain all the graces which are necessary 
for thee. Dost thou now behold the heavenly Father 
contemplating on this Altar his beloved Son, the 
dearest object of his complacency I Reject, then, 
every other thought, reanimate thy faith, open wide 
thy heart, and demand with confidence whatever thou 
pleasest. 

Dost thou not hear Jesus saying to thy interior : 
* Number II may also be used after Communion. 



323 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE 



What wilt thou have me to do for thee? I am here 
for the purpose of enriching thee, and of satisfying 
the desires of thy heart : ask, then, with confidence, 
and thou shalt have whatever thou wilt. 

Ah ! my sweet Jesus, thou art here (come to me) 
in order to bestow all thy graces upon me, and wishest 
me to ask for them. I desire neither riches, honors, 
nor pleasures: what I want, and what I conjure thee 
to grant me, is, a great sorrow for the injury which I 
have done thee by my sins. Enlighten my under- 
standing also, that I may clearly discover the vanity 
of all human things, the value of thy love and of all 
those perfections which render thee so worthy of 
beinof loved. Change my heart, disengage it from 
all affection to creatures, and give me a new heart, 
entirely conformable to thy holy will ; a heart which 
may study in all things thy holy will, and may aspire 
after nothing but the love of thee. These favors, 
which I ask, are more than I deserve; but thou, 
Jesus ! hast merited them for me ; I crave them, 
therefore, through thy divine merits, through the love 
which thou entertainest for thy Eternal Father, and 
through the intercession of thy blessed Mother. 

III. 

A DOR ABLE Jesus, inexhaustible source of sweet- 
/\ ness and delight! thy divine voice, from the 
midst of this tabernacle, invites to thee all those who 
hunger and thirst, that thou may est replenish them 
with the waters of life, and feed their souls with the 
manna of heaven. my only Love ! I come at thy 
invitation ; I am one of those who have long sighed 
and thirsted after that celestial peace, which is not 
found in earthly delights, and is only enjoyed by those 
who have learned to despise them. O thou, who 
openest thy hand, and fillest with blessing every living 
creature, send me not away fasting, lest I faint in the 
way. Assist me, for the eyes of all are turned towards 



THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. 329 

thee. Feed my soul which sighs for this bread of 
heaven, and give me of that water springing up unto 
everlasting life, that henceforward I may thirst but for 
thee alone. 

But, Lord ! should not my spiritual poverty, my 
extreme wretchedness, deter me from presuming to 
approach thy altar, or from hoping to drink at the 
fountains of the Saviour, in union with those who are 
thy cherished friends, and favorite servants'? 

How shall I presume to solicit favors and graces, 
which thou hast often granted me, but of which I am 
now destitute, because I have squandered and abused 
them] Alas! I have spent the treasures of those 
graces, hitherto received, for that ivhich is not bread, 
and labored for that which doth not, and cannot satisfy 
me. O my adorable Love, and my only real Bene- 
factor ! wilt thou pardon me ] wilt thou again receive 
and strengthen me ] Yes, I feel that thou wilt. Thou 
hast not called me to send me away empty. I have 
deserved to be abandoned, yet I am notwithstanding 
a soul sought afer and not forsaken. give me then 
that bread of life and salvation, which thou mercifully 
ofFerest without price, but which, though poor of my- 
self, I can purchase with the infinite treasure of my 
Saviour's merits : give me that wine, my sovereign 
Love ! for which thou thyself hast labored.- and may 
I drink it with so ardent a love on earth, that it may 
purchase for me, the bliss of being inebriated with a 
torrent of delight for eternity. 

IV. 

OS AC RED Victim of love, the eternal lover of 
even those who love thee not, the Hope and 
faithful Friend of those who serve thee ! behold one, 
who most earnestly desires to know thee as her only 
good, and to serve thee as her sovereign Lord : behold 
her, whom thou hast looked on, from all eternity, in 
the designs of thy mercy ; whom thou hast chosen 



330 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE 



for one of thy own beloved flock; whom thou hast 
loved as such, and whose possession, support, and 
even nourishment thou art in this adorable Sacrament. 
beloved of my soul! pardon me then, if I address 
thee with such confidence as thy love seems to au- 
thorize, and most powerfully attracts. It is not I, 
who forget the immense distance between thy al- 
mighty greatness, and my contemptible nothingness 
— it is thou thyself, who hast overlooked, in my favor, 
the prerogatives of thy infinite majesty, and anxious 
only to obtain my love, hast declared that thy delights 
are to be with the children of men. Oh ! how true it 
is, that having loved thy own who were in the world, 
thou hast loved them to the end, and stretched thy love 
to such lengths as were never heard of, until thou thy- 
self hadst deigned to teach us how to love! why 
will not all learn from thee the divine science of per- 
fect love] why are not all convinced, that, should they 
even speak with the tongues of men and of Angels, and 
have not charity, they are but as sounding brass, or a 
tinkling cymbal? For my part, Life of my soul! 
confused and humbled at my past indifference, I now 
come, and consecrate myself irrevocably to thy love 
and service. I desire no other dignity, than that of a 
devoted adorer of this amiable mystery ; no other sup- 
port, than this bread of life, and no other happiness 
in this world, than that which is found by those fa- 
vored souls who most fervently love thee. Amen, 

V. 

OMY God, my most adorable Refuge ! terrified at 
my own weakness, covered with the wounds I 
have already received, solicited by innumerable pas- 
sions to offend thee anew, and tortured by the appre- 
hension of being at this moment an object of thy just 
indignation, I throw myself at the foot of this altar. 
O Lord ! thou, in whose sight the stars are not pure, 
cast me not away from thy face, and take not thy holy 



THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. 331 



spirit from me. I have often and grievously offended 
thee : I know not whether thou hast pardoned me, or 
whether I am worthy of love or hatred ; I am engaged 
in a conflict, to which, of myself, I am unequal ; and 
by the abuse of the favors thou hast hitherto granted 
me, I have rendered myself unworthy of those special 
graces, which are necessary to conquer such enemies 
as mine. Pursued by unceasing solicitations to offend 
thee, my sovereign Good ! wearied by my evil incli- 
nations, and disgusted with the fund of depravity, 
which lies lurking in my heart, I too often doubt 
whether I may not have committed the evil which I 
sovereignly dread ; and am even on the point of 
wounding thy adorable heart, by despairing of that 
mercy which cannot be exhausted by ingratitude even 
greater than mine. O my God ! all my misery is be- 
fore thee, and my conflicts are not hidden from thy 
sight: thou hast not forbidden thy children to com- 
plain to thee ; to lay their griefs at thy feet, and pour 
their sorrows into that paternal bosom, where the 
good and the weak find a secure refuge. Ah ! why 
have I so long delayed to seek thee, my divine Com- 
forter'? why have 1 not always fled to thee in this 
most amiable Sacrament, where thou art to all who 
hope in thee, a Helper, a Deliverer, a Tower of 
strength from the face of their enemies ] Behold me 
now, my God and Redeemer ! behold me at thy sa- 
cred feet, oppressed and pursued by inveterate foes, 
whom thou alone canst put to flight. Arise, then, 
adorable Jesus! arise, and judge thy own cause; 
abandon not a soul which combats in thy name, and 
for thy love ; be thou unto me a God, a Protector, and 
let this august tabernacle be to me a house of refuge, 
where thou, my divine Master, wilt not only preserve 
me from grievous falls, but also instruct me in that 
sublime perfection, which springs from humility of 
heart, and which teaches to detest sin, and at the same 
time to embrace the abjection which springs there- 



332 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE 



from, and dwell with joy on the conviction which it 
creates of the innate misery of our weak natures. Ah ! 
why should I despond 1 Am I not resolved to die a 
thousand deaths rather than offend thee 1 Yes, my 
adorable Saviour ! I will, with the assistance of thy 
grace, resist all that is contrary, not only to thy law, 
but to the perfection of thy love ; and all the torments 
of hell itself I would infinitely prefer to the enjoyment 
of any worldly delight, which would separate me from 
thee. For these dispositions, Lord ! I most fervently 
thank thy boundless mercy; they come not from my- 
self, but are the effects of thy grace, which is with 
me, notwithstanding my unw r orthiness. 

1 will then confidently hope in thy assistance, in 
that mercy which is above all thy works, and once 
more cast myself, and all that I am, and have, into 
thy divine bosom : I commit my salvation to thy care ; 
for, I am well convinced that it is dearer to thee than 
it can be to me, and that thou wilt never abandon a 
soul, which thou didst not consider too highly pur- 
chased by the sacrifice of thy precious life. 

VI. 

OMOST amiable Jesus, adorable Victim of such 
love as no man hath ever shown to his dearest 
friend ! how is it possible that thou still remainest on 
our altars a passive witness of our ingratitude ! how 
canst thou behold, without indignation, the conduct 
of those who profess their love for thee, but whose 
actions contradict their words ! Pardon, O Beloved 
of my soul ! pardon my past indifference, my ingrati- 
tude, my forgetfulness, and abuse of thy mercies. Oh ! 
discover to me the love which consumed thy own 
adorable heart; give me entrance into its inmost re- 
cesses, that I may number the pains, and contemplate 
the anguish which my salvation cost thee, and then 
blush at my owm tepidity and reserve. Let me learn, 
in that sacred furnace of divine charity, to consider all 



THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. 333 



things easy and delightful, which are done for thee, 
my Divine Lord, and to walk steadily in the thorny 
road wherein I can best prove my desire to love and 
imitate thee. 

VII. 

OMY God, my adorable Love ! I am firmly con- 
vinced that the heart made for thee, will be satis- 
fied with nothing less than thyself. I consecrate my- 
self for ever to thee in this august mystery, persuaded 
that the soul created to feast on thy adorable charms, 
can never be so happily, so profitably employed, as in 
contemplating the most wonderful miracle of thy 
mercy and love. Come then into my heart, that I 
may enter into thine. Come, and by one sweet trans- 
port of thy love, concentrate every power of my soul 
in thee. Teach me, my heavenly Spouse ! to spare 
no exertion in thy service ; to despise, and for ever re- 
nounce every gratification which this world can be- 
stow ; that I may deserve to repose in thy arms, to 
lean on thy bosom, with thy beloved disciple, and to 
taste and see how sweet thou art. Adorable heart of 
Jesus, delicious abode of the just, and secure refuge 
of sinners ! receive me : thou art my rest for ever and 
ever — in thee will I dwell, for I have chosen it. 

VIII. 

I WELL know, Lord ! that I have no claim to the 
blessings which thou dost promise to the innocent 
and clean of heart. I deserve not a place among 
the happy few, who have not defiled their garments, 
and who shall walk with thee, because they are worthy. 
No, my God ! on the contrary, I feel that I am 
wretched, and miserable, and poor, and- blind, and naked. 
O divine Lamb! who takest away the sins of the 
world, wert thou not as rich as thou art, in that mercy 
which is from eternity and unto eternity, I should flee 
from thy presence, lest the merited rigor of thy jus- 



334 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE 



tice should crush me to nothing. But, when I behold 
thee in the most sacred Host, the Victim for our sins, 
— not my Judge, but my Mediator, I am encouraged 
to hope, that, though T have not walked in innocence, 
yet thou wilt receive me with those who follow thee 
whithersoever thou goest. my Sovereign Good ! I 
know thou art willing to sanctify me : I know that if 
thou wilt sprinkle me with the adorable blood which 
is actually present on this altar, I shall be cleansed, 
and that if thou wilt wash me, I shall be made whiter 
than snow. I know that, if thou wilt, thou canst make 
me clean. Ah! remember, Beloved of my soul! re- 
member that this confidence I feel in thy mercy, must 
be thy gift, and that it is certainly thy will that I 
should act from its impulse. Reject me not then, my 
only Hope ! receive me into thy adorable heart, and 
give me entrance into the wound of thy sacred side, 
that opened door which no man can shut, that gate, 
through which all thy children may safely pass to 
those realms of bliss, where thou, O divine Lamb ! 
who art in the midst of this altar, shall rule them, and 
shall lead them to the fountains of the waters of life, 
when they shall feed on the enrapturing view of thee, 
the uncreated and eternal beauty, and receive from 
thyself a superabundant reward of all they shall have 
done or suffered for thy love. 

IX. 

OM Y God ! how great is thy mercy and thy /or- 
giveness to them that turn to thee ! Thou hast 
received in this sanctuary a sinner who is unworthy 
of the least of thy mercies, and hast so inflamed my 
heart with thy love, that I would joyfully sacrifice my 
existence at this moment, rather than depart from 
thee by a wilful transgression. But, O my adorable 
Jesus ! this is not the first time thou hast penetrated 
my heart, and forcibly inclined my soul to be all 
thine : yet, where is the fruit of those holy disposi- 



THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. 



835 



tions, for which I was indebted to thy gratuitous 
mercy 1 

Alas! how should I tremble, when I reflect on my 
own inconstancy and ingratitude ! What could I have 
found, out of thee, worthy of my love 1 ? My God! I 
feel that I am weak : but in making this acknowledg- 
ment, my soul is filled with consolation, because I 
know that when I am weak, then I am strong ; for in 
my weakness thy divine power will be perfected. 
Place thyself as a seal upon my heart, and give me 
such ardent love, that each breath, sigh, and desire of 
my soul, may henceforward be so many acts of union 
w T ith thee, in this ineffable and amiable mystery. 



\J feet a sinner who has deserved to be eternally 
banished from this awful sanctuary. Behold the most 
ungrateful among those who have abused thy mercy 
— the most hardened among those who have slighted 
thy promises, and been deaf to thy voice. O adorable 
Victim of thy own boundless love! were it possible 
that a sentence of death could proceed from this taber- 
nacle, I would flee from thy presence, because I know 
that a thousand deaths would be insufficient to expiate 
the enormities I have myself committed against this 
adorable mystery, as well as the insults of all men, 
which I am come to acknowledge and deplore. But, 
Lord, miserable, guilty, undeserving as I am, yet 
surely 1 am one of thy own people, a child who will 
not deny thy presence on this altar, or refuse my firm 
assent to all the mysteries contained in this miracle 
of love. Hear me, then, a poor wretch making sup- 
plication to thee, and presuming on thy mercy. Lis- 
ten to me, injured, but most merciful Redeemer! in 
behalf of all those unbelieving people who walk in a 
way that is not good, after their own thoughts, — in 
behalf of all who wound thy adorable heart, by fleeing 



X. 




behold at thy sacred 



886 DEVOTIONS BEFORE 

from thy sanctuaries, and distrusting- thy mercy. Yet, 
alas ! who am I, to implore thy compassion on sin- 
ners, whose iniquities I have imitated, and whose in- 
gratitude I have exceeded 1 Oh ! that I could expiate 
their offences, and my own 1 Oh ! that I could offer 
as much fervent love, as much lively contrition, as 
thou receivest contempt and insult, and art treated 
with ingratitude and fortjetfulness in this most amia- 
ble mystery! I have nothing- of myself, I acknow- 
ledge, nor can I do any thing to please thee ; still I 
am enabled by thy actual residence on this altar, in 
quality of my victim, to offer some satisfaction for all 
thou endurest for me. Accept then, divine heart of 
my Saviour ! the love with which thou art thyself 
consumed to atone for the indifference of all men. 
Remember the tenderness with which thou hast loved 
them ; the mercy with which thou hast redeemed 
them ; the patience with which thou hast waited for 
them, and then have mercy on them, lest they should 
perish. 

XL 

OMY God, the wise and adorable Distributor of 
thy own gifts ! permit me, at the foot of thy ta- 
bernacle, to praise thee in thy Saints, and to extol thy 
power in the miracles of mercy thou hast so often 
wrought in favor of weak mortals : permit me, Lord 
of majesty! to glorify thy name for the graces be- 
stowed on those, who are solely devoted to thy love. 
O spotless Sanctity ! may thy happy spouses learn 
from thee, their Divine Master and Model, to know 
and to appreciate their happiness, by living but for 
thee, who art their praise and their God, that hath done 
for them such great and admirable things. Teach 
them, immaculate Lamb ! to yield not to the Angels 
in purity, to the Seraphim in ardor, or to the Cheru- 
bim in desire and in effort to know their Beloved, 
who is chosen out of thousands. Let their eyes feast 
but on thy enchanting beauty — their ears be open but 



THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. 



337 



to thy divine voice, and their hearts be sensible only 
to the inspirations of thy mercy and love. 

XII. 

SACRED Victim of my salvation ! how dear 
must my soul be to thee, since, not content with 
dying to purchase my eternal happiness, thou still 
continuest, on this altar, the life-giving sacrifice by 
which thou didst redeem the universe ! I most firmly 
believe that thou art present on this altar, the same 
Victim that once expired, for my sake, on Mount Cal- 
vary : I believe, that, in this most amiable mystery, 
thou art always living to make intercession for us : I 
believe that the adorable blood which gushed from 
every pore of thy sacred body, now flows on this altar 
as really, abundantly, and efficaciously, as it once did 
on that of Calvary ; and that the love which con- 
sumed thy divine heart in the midst of thy torments, 
still glows with undiminished ardor. Save me then, 
Jesus i I conjure thee, and grant that I may lose 
every thing rather than the recollection of what thou 
hast done and still doest for my sake. Let thy hu- 
miliations be my glory ; thy cross my support ; and 
thy amiable, adorable sacrament, my treasure and 
refuge. Grant that my sweetest comfort may be to 
weep at the foot of thy altars, not over thee, but for 
my sins, and the offences of those for whom thou 
hast suffered. 

A PRAYER FOR A SPIRITUAL COMMUNION. 

OMY sweet Saviour Jesus Christ, thou art my 
Sovereign Good, the Fountain of all good, my 
God and my All. I most firmly believe, that for us sin- 
ners and for our salvation, thou wast pleased to come 
down from heaven, to take upon thyself, by the mys- 
tery of the incarnation, our human nature, and to be- 
come one of us, that so thou mightest be our High- 
Priest and Victim : I most firmly believe, that thou 



338 



DEVOTIONS BEFORE 



offeredst thyself upon the cross a sacrifice for us all, 
after having suffered many cruel torments ; and that, 

by thy glorious resurrection and admirable ascension, 
thou hast opened the gates of heaven for us. I most 
firmly believe, that in these sacred mysteries, thou art 
truly and really present, and that thy sacred body and 
blood are here received by the faithful in remembrance 
of thy death. Oh ! how happy are those souls, who 
worthily receive thee in this divine sacrament ! Oh ! 
what graces, what sanctity do they receive from the 
fountain of all sanctity ! Oh ! that I were so happy 
as to be worthy to approach, this day, to thy heavenly 
banquet, and to feed on the food of life, the bread of 
Angels! But alas! I am the most wretched of all 
sinners, who, from my first coming to the use of rea- 
son till this hour, have in innumerable ways offended 
thee, my God. My soul is overspread with a uni- 
versal leprosy, covered on all sides with ulcers, and 
is unclean and filthy beyond measure, and therefore 
infinitely unworthy to approach the Lord of purity and 
sanctity. In this lamentable state, I dare not so much 
as look up towards thy altar, much less approach it. 
With eyes and heart cast down, and with a deep sense 
of my manifold treasons and great unworthiness, I 
humbly beg pardon of thee for all my sins, and im- 
plore thy mercy. O Fountain of mercy ! have com- 
passion on me, and suffer me at least to sigh after 
thee ; and though I am unworthy of thy embraces, 
permit me, like the penitent Magdalen, to present my- 
self at least before thy feet, and wash them in spirit 
with my tears. Oh ! may thy sacred blood, which 
thou hast shed for all sinners, cleanse my poor sou], 
this day, from all its filth ! Oh ! come to me, dear 
Lord, in spirit, and take possession of all the powers 
Of my soul! May I be recollected in thee ; enlighten 
my understanding, and inflame my will with thy love. 
Oh! let me be thine, and thou mine, from henceforth 
and for eveT ; and grant that nothing in life or death 



THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. 



339 



may ever separate me from thee any more. In this 
one prayer, hear me, O Lord ; and in all things else, 
do with me what thou wilt. 

ANOTHER PRAYER. 

OMY sweet Jesus ! I do not deserve to approach 
thee ; but, I humbly beseech thee, for thy own 
rnercv's sake, and through the love which thou hast 
ever borne my unworthy soul, to grant that I may, as 
the Chanaan woman, gather some of the crumbs 
which fall from thy holy Table. 

ANOTHER PRAYER. 

OMY adorable Saviour ! I am not worthy to re- 
ceive thee ; but do thou supply my want of dis- 
positions : pardon me my sins ; I detest them from 
my heart, purely because they are displeasing to thee. 
Accept my ardent desire to be united to thee, and 
mercifully grant that I may love thee, with my whole 
heart, with my whole soul, and with my whole mind. 

XIII. 

I KNOW, my adorable Lord! that, thou dost by 
thy divine immensity, pervade the whole universe; 
and, that, if I take my wings early in the mornings and, 
dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there also 
shall thy hand lead me ; and thy right hand shall hold 
me. Yet, my dearest Lord, in our churches only, 
does thy holy Humanity abide on earth, and in them 
only, can I approach and kneel at the feet of him, who 
was pierced for my transgressions, and who remains 
with us to apply his all-atoning, all efficacious merits 
to my needy, guilty soul. Yes, my Redeemer ! thou art 
truly here my Saviour, and the Saviour of all. The 
inexpressible consolation, sweetness, and strength, 
which, when before thy tabernacle, I feel within my 
soul, tell me, that my Jesus, the divine Fountain of 
all consolation, sweetness and strength, is near ; and 



340 



ACTS AND PRAYERS. 



from his mercy-seat, in the midst of us, regards with 
tender compassion the poor, unworthy, guilty sinner 
at his feet. But, my dearest Saviour, sovereign Lord 
of my soul, I must now, for some hours, leave at least 
in body, this hallowed temple, this favored residence 
of thy sacred Humanity amongst us — and, O most 
merciful Saviour, God of tender compassion and infi- 
nite love ! that, which to me is unutterably sweeter 
than honey or the honeycomb — my cherished station 
here, before thy tabernacle — at thy sacred feet. But, 
my God ! my Saviour ! as true love consists in a per- 
fect conformity to thy will, I cheerfully make the sa- 
crifice, which I know thou thyself requirest of me, 
since the voice of obedience is the voice of thy will 
in my regard. But, do not let me go without thy 
blessing ; grant that it may no longer be I who live, 
but thou, my Jesus, who livest in me ; that, amidst 
my exterior occupations, my heart may be continually 
turned towards our sacred tabernacle, in which, O 
mystery of infinite love and goodness ! thou remainest 
for the benefit of the souls thou hast so mercifully re- 
deemed. 

• — ♦ — ■ 

ACTS AND PRAYERS. 

Many of the following prayers may be very properly 
said during our visits to the Blessed Sacrament. 

The "Following of Christ" also furnishes many excel- 
lent prayers : for example, A Prayer to implore the grace 
of devotion ; at the end of the third chapter, third book. 

A Prayer in interior trials : third book, fiftieth chapter 
fifth, sixth, and seventh paragraphs. 

A Prayer of thanksgiving for spiritual consolations 
third book, fifth chapter, first, second, and sixth paragraphs. 

A Prayer for the fulfilling of the w r ill of God : at the 
end of the fifteenth chapter, third book. 

A Prayer that we may repose in God, as in our sove- 
reign Good: third book, chapter twenty-first, from the 
third paragraph to the end. 



ACTS AND PRAYERS. 341 

Prayers against evil thoughts, and for the enlightening 
of the mind: at the end of the twenty-third chapter, third 
book. 

A Prayer for cleansing the heart, and obtaining heavenly 
wisdom : at the end of the twenty-seventh chapter, third 
book. 

A Prayer in temptations and afflictions: third book, 
chapter twenty-ninth. 

A Prayer to elevate our souls to God : book third, 
chapter thirty-fourth, third and fourth paragraphs. 

A Prayer of humility before God : book third, chapter 
fortieth, fifth and sixth paragraphs. 

A Prayer of Confidence in God : third book, fifty-ninth 
chapter. 

Prayer of a soul afflicted by distractions when in the 
presence of God : book third, chapter forty-eighth, fifth 
and sixth paragraphs. 

An Oblation of ourselves, &c. : fourth book, chapter 
ninth. 

A fervent prayer to be united to Jesus Christ : fourth 
book, chapter thirteenth. 

A Prayer to expose our necessities to God: fourth 
book, chapter sixteenth. 

A PRAYER BEFORE THE ACTS. 

GIVE us, Almighty and Eternal God! an in- 
crease of faith, hope, and charity : and in order 
that we may obtain what thou promisest, grant that 
we may love and practise what thou commandest ; 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

AN ACT OF FAITH. 

OMY God ! I most firmly believe that thou art 
one only God, Creator and sovereign Lord of 
heaven and earth, infinitely great, and infinitely good. 
I most firmly believe that in thee, one only God, there 
are three Persons Teally distinct — the Father, the Son, 
and the Holy Ghost — who are all one and the same 
God. I most firmly believe that Jesus Christ, the 
second Person of the most adorable Trinity, was 
made man, and died on the cross to redeem and save 

29* 



342 



ACTS AND PRAYERS. 



us ; that he arose the third day ; that he ascended into 
heaven ; that he will come again, at the end of the 
world, to judge all mankind ; that he will reward the 
good with eternal happiness, and condemn the wicked 
with everlasting torments. I likewise most firmly 
believe, that, out of his infinite love for us, he has 
left us, in the most adorable sacrament of our altar, 
his own most precious body and blood, his soul and 
divinity, for our spiritual food, and for our sacrifice ; 
and that he has left in his Church the power of for- 
giving sins. 

" I believe these, and all other truths which the holy 
Catholic Church proposes to our belief; because thou, 
my God, hast revealed them all ; and as thou art 
truth itself, thou neither canst deceive nor be deceived. 
In this faith I desire to live; and in the same, by thy 
holy grace, I am most firmly resolved to die. Amen. 

AN ACT OF HOPE. 

OMY God ! relying on thy almighty power, con- 
fiding in thy infinite goodness and mercy, and in 
thy sacred promises, I most firmly hope to receive the 
pardon of all my sins, and grace to serve thee faith- 
fully in this life, that I may deserve to enjoy thee for 
ever in the next : through my Lord and Saviour Jesus 
Christ. Amen. 

AN ACT OF CHARITT. 

OMY God ! I love thee with my whole heart and 
soul ; I love thee, above all things, for thy most 
amiable perfections, and I love my neighbor for thy 
sake : grant that I may daily increase in this divine 
love, and prefer a thousand deaths to the loss of it by 
any mortal sin. Amen. 

AN ACT OF CONTRITION. 

OMY God ! I am most heartily sorry for all my 
sins : I detest them above all things, from the 



ACTS AND PRAYERS. 



343 



bottom of my heart, because they displease thee, my 
God, who art so deserving of all my love, for thy 
most amiable and adorable perfections. 

I firmly purpose, by thy holy grace, never more to 
offend thee deliberately; and by the same grace I will 
endeavor to atone for my sins. Amen, 

AN ACT OF DIVINE LOVE AND OBLATION. 

OMY God and my All ! I most ardently desire, 
by every breath I draw, by every thought, word, 
and action, by every movement of body and soul, to 
tell thee, a thousand and a thousand times, that I love 
thee more than my life, or any thing in the world, and 
that I consecrate myself to thee, renewing my bap- 
tismal and religious vows, together with the promises 
and resolutions of my life past. I offer thee also all 
the homage, love, joy, praise, thanks and adoration 
of the Church militant, triumphant and suffering ; all 
that it has offered or will offer to thee, till the end of 
time; all the love, complacency and delights, thou 
possessest in thy divine essence, one God in three 
Persons ; all the homage my beloved Jesus renders 
thee in the adorable sacrament of the altar ; and all the 
Masses that are now being celebrated, that I maybe a 
victim, immolated with each, to thy honor and glory, 
without any other will or desire but that of pleasing 
thee, loving thee, living for thee, and dying for thee. 
I am thine, my God : make me so entirely and eter- 
nally. Amen. 

TO BEG COUNSEL OR DIRECTION. 

ANGEL of the Great Council, and most charitable 
Counsellor of all that apply to thee for advice! 
I come to consult thee, and to ask thee for light and 
direction. Let me know, I beseech thee, how I am 
to act, and what is most agreeable to thy will. Let 
me know, by means best known to thyself, what it is 
that thou requirest of me. Teach me in what manner 



344 



ACTS AND PRAYERS. 



I am to conduct myself, and the means I am to make 
use of, that every particular in this concern may suc- 
ceed to thy glory, and the welfare of my soul. I offer 
thee a heart prepared to follow thy divine directions, 
and to execute thy orders ; because it is in thee, that 
I place all my hopes, and desire nothing more than 
the accomplishment of thy will. Let, therefore, thy 
divine light shine on me, and do not abandon me to 
my own darkness. Amen. 

TO IMPLORE ASSISTANCE AT THE BEGINNING OF 
AN UNDERTAKING. 

I COME to thee, Jesus, before I commence this 
undertaking, to consecrate it, through thy hands, 
to the glory of thy eternal Father, and to implore thy 
succor, that it may be executed in the manner most 
agreeable to him. Thou knowest, that, without thee, 
I can do nothing : grant me, then, the necessary as- 
sistance to accomplish the will of thy heavenly Father, 
to observe faithfully all the laws of justice, and keep 
myself free from sin in the execution of this under- 
taking ; or rather, take the charge of the whole upon 
thyself. Conduct it by thy wisdom; execute it by 
thy power, and bring every thing to a happy issue, 
through thy infinite goodness, to the glory of thy 
Father, and to the eternal salvation of my soul. 
dm en. 

ON A PROSPEROUS EVENT. 

ETERNAL Spring, whence all good things flow ! 
I am come to return thee thanks for the success 
with which rny affairs have been attended. Whatever 
pleasure my natural inclinations may find in it, I ne- 
vertheless wish to rejoice only for the glory that re- 
dounds from it to thee; because thy goodness in my 
regard is there displayed, and thy holy will accom- 
plished. Close up my heart, O Jesus, against all 
earthly consolations, and grant that it may take plea- 



ACTS AND PRAYERS. 



345 



sure in thee alone. Suffer not the temporal blessings 
thou bestowest on me, to attach me to creatures, or to 
be an occasion of sin to me ; neither let them be a 
compensation for the little good I do, bat make me 
worthy of receiving the recompense of heaven. 

ON A DISASTROUS ISSUE. 

AS a person in affliction naturally has recourse to 
a faithful friend for comfort ; so, O Jesus, I am 
come to seek consolation from thee, my most tender 
and most faithful friend. Thou seest how dejected 
my heart is, from what hath befallen me. Oh ! grant 
me strength, I beseech thee, that I may be able to 
bear my affliction with fortitude, and receive it in thy 
spirit. I adore thy divine justice, which has overtaken 
me; I receive with respect and submission all its 
chastisements ; I return thanks for them, as for so 
many signal favors and testimonies of the love of God. 
1 accept them in the spirit of homage, and with the 
view of honoring thy labors and sufferings. I offer 
them through thy hand, and in union with thy suffer- 
ings, to my heavenly Father in satisfaction for my 
sins, sincerely acknowledging that I have deserved 
much greater. I praise his goodness for having treated 
me with so much lenity, and readily submit to what- 
ever other chastisements he may please to inflict on 
me hereafter. I only beg of him strength to bear 
them in the manner I ought, and the undeserved favor 
of not being punished during eternity. Amen. 

UNDER TEMPTATIONS. 

LORD ! thy enemies and mine have risen up against 
me ; they seek my soul to destroy it, and use 
their utmost endeavors to drag it into the bottomless 
pit : I therefore come, and cast myself at thy feet, to 
implore thy succor. Ah ! suffer not that soul, which 
thou hast redeemed at the price of thy blood, to be- 
come their prey. Be thou my protector and my refuge ; 



346 



ACTS AND PRAYERS. 



receive me into thy arms, and shield me from their 
rage: confound their devices; destroy their power; 
disappoint their malice. Thy glory, O my Saviour! 
is concerned in not suffering those, that belong to thee, 
to fall into the hands of thy enemies. Support me, 
therefore, I beseech thee, in the severe conflicts I have 
to sustain against them, and make me victorious over 
all their efforts. Amen, 

A PRAYER TO THE ADORABLE NAME, JESUS. 

"TV/|~AY the adorable name of Jesus, be the sweet and 
It I daily music of my soul, and the seal of my 
heart; and, when in the agony and cold sweat of 
death, I give the last look for mercy, may the parting 
sigh of my soul be Jesus. Amen, sweet Jesus, amen, 

DEVOUT ASPIRATIONS. 

OSOUL of Christ, sanctify me. Body of Christ, 
save me. Blood of Christ, inebriate me. Water 
of the side of Christ, purify me. Passion of Christ, 
comfort me. good Jesus, hear me. Within thy 
sacred wounds shelter me. Never suffer me to be 
separated from thee. From the malice of my enemies, 
defend me. At the hour of my death, call me. Com- 
mand me to come to thee, that, w T ith thy Saints, I may 
praise thee for ever and ever. Amen, 

OTHER DEVOUT ASPIRATIONS, 

BLOOD of Jesus, wash me. 
Passion of Jesus, strengthen me. 
Wounds of Jesus, heal me. 
Heart of Jesus, receive me. 
Spirit of Jesus, enliven me. 
Love of Jesus, inflame me. 
Mercy of Jesus, spare me. 
Cross of Jesus, support me. 
Thorns of Jesus, crown me. 



ACTS AND PRAYERS. 



Sighs of Jesus, plead for me. 
Agony of Jesus, atone for me. 
Lips of Jesus, bless me in life and death, in time 
and in eternity. Amen. 

A PRAYER IN HONOR OF THE FIVE WOUNDS. 

OLORD Jesus Christ ! by the five Wounds which 
thou wast pleased to receive upon the Cross for 
the love of me, help me, thy servant, whom thou hast 
redeemed with thy precious blood. Amen. 

A PRAYER TO INVOKE THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 
INTO OURSELVES. 

JESUS, living in Mary! come, and live in thy 
servant, in the spirit of thy sanctity, in the ful- 
ness of thy power, in the perfection of thy ways, in 
the truth of thy virtues, and in the communion of thy 
mysteries. Triumph over all adverse powers, in thy 
holy spirit, for the glory of thy Father. Amen. 

PRAYER TO OBTAIN FINAL PERSEVERANCE. 

ETERNAL Father, I humbly adore thee, and thank 
thee for having created and redeemed me through 
Jesus Christ. I thank thee most sincerely for having 
made me a Christian, by giving me the true faith, and 
by adopting me as thy child in the sacrament of bap- 
tism. I thank thee foi having, after the numberless 
sins I have committed, waited for my repentance, and 
for having pardoned, as I humbly hope, all my offences, 
for which I am now sincerely sorry, because they dis- 
pleased thee, who art infinite Goodness. I thank thee 
for having preserved me so frequently from relapsing 
into my former sins, which I certainly should have 
done, had it not been for thy divine protection. But 
my enemies still continue to persecute me ; and until 
the moment of my death, they will unceasingly en- 
deavor to make me their slave. If thou dost not con- 
stantly guard and succor me with thy aid, I, a miser- 



348 



ACTS AND PRAYERS. 



able creature, shall return to sin, and certainly lose 
thy grace. I beseech thee, then, for the love of Jesus 
Christ, to grant me holy perseverance unto death. 

Jesus thy Son has promised, that thou wilt grant 
whatsoever we ask in his name. Through the merits 
then of Jesus Christ, I beg, for myself and for all the 
just, the grace never again to be separated from thy 
love, but to love thee for ever, in time and eternity. 
Mary, Mother of God, pray to Jesus for me. 

A PR A. YE R TO JESUS CHRIST, TO OBTAIN HIS HOLY 

LOVE. 

OMY dearest Jesus, my crucified love ! I believe 
and confess that thou art the Son of God, and my 
Saviour. From the abyss of my nothingness, I adore 
and thank thee for the death thou hast suffered, to ob- 
tain for me the life of grace. My beloved Redeemer, 
to thee I owe my salvation ; through thee I have, until 
now, been preserved from hell ; through thee I have 
received the pardon of my sins : but I, an ungrateful 
wretch, instead of loving, have again offended thee. 

I have deserved to be condemned to that place in 
which I could never love thee. O my Jesus, chastise 
me in any way thou pleasest, but not with the priva- 
tion of thy love. 

If, in my past life, I have not loved thee, I am sin- 
cerely sorry ; now I love thee, and desire nothing in 
heaven or on earth, but to love thee with my whole 
heart. But, without thy aid, I can do nothing. 

Since, then, thou commandest me to love thee, give 
me grace to fulfil so sweet and amiable a precept. 
Thou hast promised to grant whatsoever we ask of 
thee : All things whatsoever you ask, they shall come 
unto you. Trusting then in this promise, my dear- 
est Jesus, I ask in the first place, the pardon of all my 
sins : I detest them above all things, because they are 
displeasing to thee, who art infinite Goodness. I ask 
perseverance in thy holy grace until death ; but, above 



ACTS AND PRAYERS. 



349 



all, I ask the gift of thy holy love. Ah ! my Jesus, 
my hope, my love, and my all, inflame me with that 
fire of love which thou earnest on earth to enkindle ; 
and grant that I may always be resigned and conform- 
able to thy holy will. Enlighten me, that I may still 
better see how much thou deservest to be loved, and 
that I may comprehend the immense love thou hast 
borne me, especially when thou gavest thy life for me. 
Give me then the grace to love thee with my whole 
heart, to love thee continually; that persevering in 
thy holy love till death, a day may come, when I 
shall love thee with all my strength in heaven, and 
never cease to love thee for all eternity. 

O Mother of love, Mary, my advocate and refuge ; 
you, who are the most lovely of all creatures, and the 
most beloved by God ; you, who are the most ardent 
lover of God, and desire nothing but to see him loved 
by all : ah ! through the love which you bear towards 
Jesus Christ, pray for me, and obtain for me the grace 
to love him for ever, and with my whole heart. From 
you I ask this favor; through you, I hope to receive 
it. Amen, 

A PRAYER OF SUBMISSION AND CONFIDENCE. 

LORD, I know not what I ought to ask of thee. 
Thou alone knowest what I want ; thou lovest 
me better than I can love myself. O Father, give to 
thy child, that which she knows not how to ask. I 
dare not ask either for crosses or consolations ; I only 
present myself before thee ; I lay open to thee my 
heart : behold my necessities, and act according to 
thy mercies ; strike or cure, raise up or cast down ; I 
adore thy divine will without knowing it. I hold my 
peace ; I sacrifice and abandon myself to thee ; I have 
no other desire than to accomplish thy divine will. 
Amen. 



30 



« 



CONFRATERNITY OF THE SACRED HEART OF 
JESUS. 

I JfckflJ f'Jlli ii 1 nj! ^i- «1« l 

The object of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus 
is to honor the ardent charity with which that divine heart 
has always been inflamed for mankind. The faithful ser- 
vants of God have in all ages practised this devotion ; but 
since the last century it has been much more extensively 
diffused, in consequence of a revelation made to a fervent 
religious, in a convent of the Visitation in France. In 1803, 
his holiness Pius VII approved an association of the Sa- 
cred Heart established in Rome, granting it special indul- 
gences, with the privilege of aggregating to itself other 
associations of the Sacred Heart throughout the Church. 
An association has been regularly established in Baltimore. 
To be received into a conlraternity of the Sacred Heart, it 
is necessary to apply for admission to the clergyman who 
is empowered to this effect, and who records the names of 
applicants in a register kept for this purpose. For the 
spiritual favors granted to the confraternities of the Sacred 
Heart, see Indulgences, No. xVui. The duties of members 
consist, 1. In manifesting a particular love for our Saviour 
Jesus Christ, by endeavoring to imitate his divine virtues, 
especially his spirit of religion, his meekness, his humility, 
and his universal charity : 2. In passing one hour annually, 
on the day selected at the time of admission into the Con- 
fraternity, in adoration and prayer, before the Blessed Sa- 
crament or a crucifix. If sickness or other cause prevent 
a person from performing this adoration on the appointed 
day, it may be deferred to another, or assumed by some 
pious individual. During the hour for the annual station, 
he should unite himself with Jesus Christ glorifying his 
Father, and enter into the homages which he offered to 
him when on earth, and which he now presents him in 
heaven, and in the various places where he is corporally 
present in the august sacrament of the altar. In union 
with all the members of the Confraternity, he should make 
amends to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for all the insults, in- 
dignities, infidelities and ingratitude which are committed 
against our Lord in the eucharistic institution ; pray for 
the necessities of the Church and of the state, for all Chris- 
tian rulers, for his relations, friends and enemies, for the 
350 



DEVOTIONS TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS. 351 



conversion of sinners, heretics, infidels and Jews ; for the 
faithful departed, and for his own salvation. 

If all Christians should occasionally visit our Lord in the 
sacrament of the altar, the members of an association of 
the Sacred Heart should be particularly attentive to this 
devotion, and eager to pay their court to him whenever he 
is exposed in our churches, during processions and on other 
occasions. 

DEVOTIONS TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS. 

AN ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE SACRED HEART 
OF JESUS. 

MOST amiable Heart of my divine Redeemer! 
considering thy infinite love for all men, and for 
me in particular ; in view of the oppressing grief and 
other pains thou hast endured for my sins ; in view of 
the most precious blood thou hast been pleased to shed 
for my redemption ; in view of the excessive love thou 
hast shown us in the institution of the most blessed 
Sacrament of the altar ; and in view of those infinite 
perfections, which make thee so amiable ; I, iV. do 
this day consecrate myself to thee without reserve, for 
the remainder of my life : I consecrate to thee my 
body, my soul, my thoughts, my desires, my words, 
my actions and my sufferings, desiring thereby to 
contribute to thy greater glory. In particular, I conse- 
crate to thee my heart with all its motions, desiring it 
may love thee alone, rejoice in thee alone, and breathe 
for thee alone. Receive it then, O divine Heart of 
Jesus ! purify it, sanctify it, and inflame it with thy 
most pure love, that it may no longer act but by the 
motion of thy love ; nor suffer, but for thy love ; grieve 
only, because it loves thee so little ; find its only joy 
in thy love ; desire nothing but a continual increase 
of that love ; and fear nothing but the extinction, or 
even a diminution of that love. In a word, make my 



352 



DEVOTIONS TO THE 



heart like to thee ; that by thee, with thee, and in 
thee, it may eternally loye the Father, the Son, and 
the Holy Ghost. Amen. 

REPARATION OF HONOR TO THE SACRED HEART. 

OMOST amiable and adorable Heart, centre of all 
hearts, glowing with charity, and inflamed with 
zeal for the interest of thy Father, and the salvation 
of mankind ! Heart, eyer sensible of our misery, 
and ever ready to redress our evils ; the real victim 
of love in the holy Eucharist, and a propitiatory sacri- 
fice for the sins of men ! Seeing that the generality 
of Christians make no other return for these thy mer- 
cies than contempt of thy favors, forgetfulness of their 
own obligation, and ingratitude to the best of bene- 
factors, is it not just that we, thy servants, penetrated 
with the deepest sense of the like indignities, should 
enter upon a due and satisfactory reparation of honor 
to thy most sacred majesty ? Prostrate, therefore, in 
body, and humbled in mind, before heaven and earth 
we solemnly declare our utter detestation and abhor- 
rence of such a conduct. Inexpressible, we know, 
was the bitterness which the multitude of our sins 
brought on thy tender Heart; insufferable the weight 
of our iniquities, which pressed thy face to the earth 
in the garden of Olives ; and insurmountable thy an- 
guish, when, expiring with love, grief and agony, on 
Mount Calvary, with thy last breath thou wouldst re- 
claim sinners to their duty and repentance. This we 
know, dear Redeemer! and would most willingly 
redress these thy sufferings by our own, or share with 
thee in thine. 

O merciful Jesus, ever present on our altars, and 
with a heart open to receive all who u labor and are 
burdened adorable Heart, source of true contri- 
tion ! impart to our hearts the true spirit of penance, 
and to our eyes a fountain of tears, that we may be- 
wail and wash off our sins, and those of the world. 



SACRED HEART OF JESUS. 



353 



Pardon, divine Jesus ! all the injuries, reproaches and 
outrages done thee, through the course of thy holy 
life and bitter passion : pardon all the impieties, irre- 
verences and sacrileges which have been committed 
against thee in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, from 
its first institution. Graciously receive the small tri- 
bute of our sincere repentance, as an agreeable offer- 
ing in thy sight, and in requital for the benefits we 
daily receive from the altar, on which thou art a living 
and continual sacrifice, and in union with that bloody 
Holocaust thou didst present to thy eternal Father on 
Mount Calvary from the cross. 

Sweet Jesus ! give thy blessings to the ardent de- 
sire we now entertain, and the holy resolution we have 
taken of ever loving and adoring thee, after a proper 
manner, in the holy Eucharist, thy Sacrament of Love ; 
thus to repair, by a true conversion of heart, and a be- 
coming zeal for thy glory, our past negligence and in- 
fidelity. But thou, O adorable Heart ! who knowest 
the clay of which we are formed, be thou our media- 
tor with thy heavenly Father, whom we have so 
grievously offended. Strengthen our weakness ; con- 
firm our resolution ; and w T ith thy charity, humility, 
meekness and patience, cover the multitude of our 
iniquities. Be thou our support, our refuge and our 
strength, that nothing henceforward, in lite or death, 
may separate us from tliee. Amen, 

THE PRAYER OF ST. GERTRUDE TO THE HEART 
OF JESUS. 

HAIL, O sacred Heart of Jesus, living and quick- 
ening source of eternal life, infinite treasury of 
the divinity, burning furnace of divine love ! thou art 
my refuge and my sanctuary. O my amiable Saviour ! 
consume my heart with that burning fire with which 
thine is ever inflamed ; pour down on my soul those 
graces which flow from thy love, and let my heart be 
so united with thine that our wills may be one, and 

30* 



354 



DEVOTIONS TO THE 



mine in all things conformed to thine. May thine be 
the standard and rule of my desires and of my ac- 
tions. Arhen. 

THE LITANY OF THE SACRED HEART. 

LORD, have mercy on us. 
Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ, hear us. 
Christ, graciously hear us. 
God the Father of heaven, 
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, 
God the Holy Ghost, 
Holy Trinity, one God, 
Heart of Jesus, 

Heart of Jesus, formed in the womb of the 
most blessed Virgin, 

Heart of Jesus, hypostatically united to the 
eternal Word, 

Heart of Jesus, sanctuary of the divinity, 

Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the most holy 
Trinity, 

Heart of Jesus, temple of all sanctity, 
Heart of Jesus, fountain of all graces, 
Heart of Jesus, most meek, 
Heart of Jesus, most humble, 
Heart of Jesus, most obedient, 
Heart of Jesus, furnace of love, 
Heart of Jesus, treasure of wisdom, 
Heart of Jesus, ocean of bounty, 
Heart of Jesus, throne of mercy, 
Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues, 
Heart of Jesus, sorrowful in the garden, 
Heart of Jesus, spent with a bloody sweat, 
Heart of Jesus, satiated with reproaches, 
Heart of Jesus, wounded for our sins, 
Heart of Jesus, made obedient even unto the 
death of the cross. 



r -t 
O 

o 
3 

C3 

CO 



SACRED HEART OF JESUS. 355 



Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance, 
Heart of Jesus, refuge of sinners, w 
Heart of Jesus, fortitude of the just, p 
Heart of Jesus, comfort of the afflicted, ai 
Heart of Jesus, main strength of the tempted, 3 
Heart of Jesus, terror of the devils, - § 

Heart of Jesus, sanctification of hearts, *<t 
Heart of Jesus, perseverance of the good, g 
Heart of Jesus, hope of the dying-, cj 
Heart of Jesus, joy of the blessed, S° 
Heart of Jesus, the delight of all the Saints, 
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 

world, spare us, O Jesus. 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 

world, hear us, Jesus. 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 

world, have mercy on us, Jesus. 

y . most sacred Heart 'of Jesus, have mercy 

on us. 

R. That we may worthily love thee with our whole 
hearts. 



LET US PRAY. 

OGOD ! who, out of thy immense love, hast given 
to the faithful the most sacred Heart of thy dear 
Son, our Lord, as the object of their tender affections ; 
grant, we beseech thee, that we may so love and 
honor this pledge of thy love on earth, that by it we 
may merit to love both thee and thy. gift, and be eter- 
nally loved by thee and this most blessed Heart in 
heaven : through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, thy 
Son, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity 
of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. 
Amen, 

O sacred Heart of Jesus, overflowing with all sweet- 
ness ! to thee we recommend ourselves and all our 
concerns, parents and relations, our superiors, bene- 
factors, friends and enemies: take under thy protec- 



356 



DEVOTIONS TO THE 



tion this house, congregation, and State: extend thy 
care to all such as lie under any affliction, and to those 
who labor in the agony and pangs of death : cast an 
eye of compassion on the obstinate sinner, but par- 
ticularly on the poor souls in purgatory, and also on 
those who are engaged and linked with us in the holy 
confederacy of honoring and worshipping thee. Bless 
these in particular, bountiful Heart ! and bless them 
according to the extent of thy goodness, mercy and 
charity. Amen. 

A DEVOUT ASPIRATION TO THE SACRED HEART. 

MOST amiable Heart of Jesus, beloved object of 
our most tender affections, may all honor, glory, 
love and benediction, be ever given to thee ! Be thou 
our comfort in adversity, our guide in prosperity, our 
safety in dangers, and protection against all our ene- 
mies, visible and invisible. Amen. 

THE BEADS OF THE SACRED HEART. 

ON THE CROSS. 

O JESUS! give us thy Heart as a pledge of thy 
love, and as a place of refuge, that we may find 
therein a secure repose during our life, and a sweet 
comfort at the hour of death. Amen. 

ON THE LARGER BEADS. 

THEE I adore, praise and love, O sacred Heart of 
my dear Jesus ! penetrated with grief at the 
thought of so many offences, which have been hitherto 
committed against thee, in the most holy Sacrament 
of the altar, I offer up to thee the most amiable Heart 
of thy beloved Mother, with the merits of the Saints, 
in satisfaction thereof. Amen. 

ON THE SMALLER BEADS. 

SACRED Heart of Jesus, burning with love 
for us ! inflame our hearts with the love of thee. 



SACRED HEART OF JESUS. 357 



ACTS OF ADORATION. 

The ensuing four-and-twenty acts of adoration to Jesus 
Christ in the blessed Sacrament, may be recited by way 
of reparation for all the offences committed against him by 
mankind. • 

JESUS, our Lord and our God, ever adorable ! 
Oh, that we could be present in all the churches 
throughout the universe, where thou art not adored as 
thou oughtest to be, and where thy inflamed love is 
not repaid with gratitude worthy of thy majesty ! we 
fly, at least in spirit, to these holy places now pro- 
faned, and offer on thy altars there, the fervent love 
and adoration of thy holy Mother, in compensation 
for the injuries ever done thee by the Jews, by here- 
tics, and bad Christians. Eternal praise and thanks- 
giving be to the most holy and most divine Sacrament, 

2. O Jesus, true Sun, that enlightens the Church, 
and raises into a flame the hearts of thy servants ! we 
adore thee; and to repair the sloth, indifference and 
tepidity of so many religious persons, who, though 
favored with the aspect of so burning a luminary, re- 
main cold, insensible, and inanimate, we offer up to 
thee all the inflamed desires of the Seraphim. Eternal 
praise, tyc. 

3. We adore thee, eternal Wisdom ! and to re- 
pair the gross ignorance w^hich has caused us to offend 
thee, we offer up to thee all the knowledge of those 
most enlightened Spirits, the Cherubim. Eternal 
praise, $rc, 

4. We adore thee, most meek and merciful God ! 
and to repair all the sins of anger, passion and re- 
venge, highly offensive in thy sight, we offer up to 
thee the peace, mildness and tranquillity of the 
Thrones. Eternal praise, $~c. 

5. We adore thee, O Sacrament of Love ! and to 
repair all the thoughts and criminal desires, conceived 



358 



DEVOTIONS TO THE 



even at the foot of thy altars, we offer up to thee all 
the pure affections and chaste desires of the Domina- 
tions. Eternal praise, tyc. 

6. We adore thee, O immaculate Lamb, that takest 
away the sins of the world ! and to repair all the 
irreverences, gazing at dangerous objects, and disre- 

' spectful postures during the time of holy Mass, we 
offer to thee the profound respect of the choir of Vir- 
tues. Eternal praise, $rc. 

7. We adore thee, source and origin of all sanc- 
tity and innocence ! and to repair the abominations 
committed by wicked priests, who consecrate and re- 
ceive thee in the state of mortal sin, we offer up to thee 
the profound adoration and holiness of the Powers. 
Eternal praise, $'c. 

8. We adore thee, sovereign Lord of the universe, 
to whom all knees both in heaven and earth should 
bend, all reverence be paid ! and in order to repair the 
many blasphemies against thy honor, we offer up to 
thee the praises and homage of the Principalities. 
Eternal praise, #~c, 

9. We adore thee, Saviour of the world, to whom 
all fidelity and glory is due ! and to repair the sacri- 
legious communions and treacheries of so many false 
consciences, we offer up to thee the fervent and faith 
ful zeal of the Archangels. Eternal praise, $~c, 

10. We adore thee, the delight of heaven and earth! 
and to repair the neglect, indifference and contempt 
which mankind show of that loving invitation, by 
which thou callest them to thy sweet embraces in the 
holy Eucharist, we offer up to thee the ready obedi- 
ence, content and happiness of the Angels. Eternal 
praise, $~c* 

11. We adore thee, never failing bounty and good- 
ness ! and to repair man's offensive diffidence in thy 
tender mercy, we offer up to thee the steadfast reli- 
ance and assurance of the holy Patriarchs in thy pro- 
mises. Eternal praise, §~c. 



SACRED HEART OF JESUS. 359 

12. We adore thee, O amiable Jesus ! and revere 
the sacred mystery of the blessed Eucharist, revealed 
by thy divine word, taught by the Church, and proved 
by miracles ; and to repair the doubts which men have 
had of thy real presence in the holy Sacrament, we 
offer up to thee the due submission shown by the 
Prophets to thy divine oracles. Eternal praise, $rc, 

13. We adore thee, most tender and most amiable 
of all Fathers ! and to make reparation for the errors 
and infidelities of thy own children, we offer up to 
thee the faith of the Apostles. Eternal praise, $rc. 

14. We adore thee, most loving Shepherd, pattern 
of true charity ! and to make reparation for the designs 
of revenge, conceived in defiance of thy divine pro- 
hibitions, we offer up to thee the patience and prayers 
of the Martyrs in favor of their persecutors. Eternal 
praise, $'c. 

15. We adore thee, inexhaustible fund of treasures ! 
and to make reparation for all the robberies committed 
in thy churches, we offer up to thee the rich and 
bountiful donations of thy devout servants. Eternat 
praise, §~c. 

16. We adore thee, O most watchful Advocate! 
and to make reparation for the many negligences of 
those who have any authority in the Church, to correct 
the abuses and irreverences there committed against 
thee, Ave offer up to thee the exact attention and care- 
ful solicitude of holy bishops and prelates. Eternal 
praise, (jrc, 

17. We adore thee, O God of infinite majesty, whom 
we can never sufficiently adore and reverence ! and to 
make reparation for all the impious oaths pronounced 
against thee, we offer up to thee the pious discourses 
made in thy honor by the holy doctors of the Church. 
Eternal praise, $rc. 

18. We adore thee, O hidden God ! and to make 
reparation for all the contests, disputes, punctilios of 
honor, and scandal, by which thou hast been offended, 



360 



DEVOTIONS TO THE 



we offer up to thee the humility of the holy confessors. 
Eternal praise, $~c. 

19. We adore thee, eternal Priest, whose delight is 
to offer sacrifice ! and to make reparation for the in- 
sults and affronts done to thy priests, religious and 
virgins, we offer up to thee thy own invincible pa- 
tience, together with the true and fervent zeal of all good 
priests and apostolic preachers. Eternal praise, #*c. 

20. We adore thee, true Bread of Angels ! and to 
make reparation for the sins committed against thy com- 
mand of abstinence, we offer up to thee the fasts and 
temperance of the holy Anchorets. Eternal praise, &c. 

21. We adore thee, God of all purity! and to 
make reparation for all the sins which have hitherto 
been committed against the virtue of purity, we offer 
up to thee the modesty and penance of all holy reli- 
gious men and women. Eternal praise, <$rc. 

22. We adore thee, amiable Spouse of our souls ! 
and to make reparation for all the lukewarmness and 
indifference shown by many, particularly in time of 
holy communion, we offer up to thee the raptures and 
ecstasies of holy virgins. Eternal praise, $rc. 

23. We adore thee, most worthy object of the love 
and affection of men and Angels ! and to repair the 
profanations committed in thy churches by the effu- 
sion of so much innocent blood, as also to make some 
atonement for the poor and indigent manner thou art 
entertained there, we offer up to thee the piety of all 
the blessed Saints, and the distress and want in which 
thy persecuted servants were. Eternal praise, ^c. 

24. We adore thee, Son of the ever-glorious Virgin ! 
and to make a general reparation, as much as lies in our 
power, for all the indignities thou hast suffered from 
men, since the institution of this adorable Mystery, we 
have recourse to thy holy Mother, looking upon her, 
as, under thee, the greatest and most secure refuge of 
sinners. Eternal praise, tyc. 

Queen of heaven and earth, hope of mankind, who 



SACRED HEART OF JESUS. 



361 



adorest thy Divine Son incessantly ! we entreat thee, 
that, since we have the honor to be of the number of 
thy children, thou wouldst interest thyself in our be- 
half and make satisfaction for us, and in our name, to 
our eternal Judge, by rendering to him the duties which 
we ourselves are incapable of performing. Amen. 

It would be advisable to recite those Acts every Thurs- 
day or Friday. Their number corresponds to the hours of 
the day and night : in each of these hours, the most ami- 
able Heart of Jesus, in the Eucharist, is offended and in- 
suited throughout the world. This recital of the above 
Acts, is a reparation of honor which we make for such 
offences ; nor can it seem too much. However, if, on ac- 
count of other occupations, it should appear so, fail not, 
once a month at least, and particularly on the feast of the 
sacred Heart, to acquit yourself of this duty. You will do 
well also to observe the following most easy practice. You 
have perhaps a number of friends, and these are equally 
engaged with you in this holy devotion. Take to yourself 
one of these Acts, divide the others amongst your friends ; 
let each of them recite daily and offer up to God her re- 
spective Act of adoration : nothing can be more practicable, 
nothing more agreeable to the amiable and offended Heart 
of our Divine Saviour, or more satisfactory for so many 
offences daily committed against him. 

A NOVENA TO THE SACRED HEART OF 
JESUS. 

All who are impressed with an affectionate love for the 
adorable Heart of Jesus, and share in its afflictions on ac- 
count of the ingratitude of mankind, are invited to perform 
these nine days' devotion, to make some atonement ; 1st, 
for sins committed by their parents, relations and families ; 
2d, for sins committed by the congregation of which they 
are members ; 3d, for their own particular sins, and the 
faults of those whom Providence has placed over them, in 
order to teach and conduct them in the way of salvation. 
It is also recommended to pious Christians to make this 
Novena frequently during the year, in order to make some 
atonement for the great ingratitude done to Jesus Christ in 
the blessed Eucharist. 

Kneeling before the blessed Sacrament, or a picture of 
the sacred Heart of Jesus, endeavor to divest your soul of 

31 



362 



DEVOTIONS TO THE 



all worldly concerns ; let your attention be fixed on his in- 
flamed heart, and making the sign of the cross, say the fol- 
lowing prayer : 

SACRED Heart of my dear Redeemer! I adore 
thee with all the powers of my soul ; I conse- 
crate them for ever to thee, with each of my thoughts, 
words, actions, and my whole being. I offer to thee, 
divine Heart! all those acts of adoration, love and 
glory, which thou didst render to thy eternal Father, 
whilst in this mortal life. Be thou the repairer of my 
deficiencies, the protector of my life, my refuge and 
security at the hour of my death. Grant me, through 
the merits of that anguish and bitterness, which for 
me thou hast suffered through the whole course of thy 
mortal life, a perfect contrition for my sins ; grant me 
a constant disgust of all worldly allurements, an ardent 
desire of eternal glory, and a lively hope of partaking 
of thy infinite merits. 

most loving Heart of Jesus ! 1 present to thee, 
these my humble supplications, not for myself only, 
but for all those whom I earnestly recommend to thee 
in this No vena. 

It is my ardent wish, my dearest Lord, that all 
may join me in spirit to serve and obey thee. Accept 
these my humble petitions, and graciously grant my 
request through thy infinite mercy. Impress us, O 
Lord, with due sentiments of gratitude for the benefi- 
cent tenderness of thy divine heart to us forlorn sin- 
ners ; receive us in the yet gaping wound of that 
loving Heart, that in it we may admire thy divine at- 
tributes, practise thy heavenly virtues, find the effect 
of thy sacred passion, and our poor afflicted souls be 
thereby encouraged to shelter themselves within thy 
sacred wounds. 

AN ACT OF REPARATION OF HONOR. 

HEART of Jesus, infinitely merciful, ever de- 
sirous to communicate thy divine love to our cold 



SACRED HEART OF JESUS. 



363 



hearts ! thy delight is to remain for ever with the chil- 
dren of men: for this reason, amiable Redeemer! 
thou hast instituted a peculiar sacrament of love, in 
which we might find the treasure and source of all 
heavenly blessings, through which we might enter 
into the sanctuary of thy inflamed Heart, and there 
meet with secure repose in life, and sweet comfort in 
death. With these most bountiful dispositions, thou 
hast vouchsafed to reside in this very house, in which 
I dwell, to repose on our altars, to be our constant 
sacrifice, in order to avert the anger of thy eternal 
Father, excited by our repeated sins : hither thou con- 
tinually invitest us to come, and partake of this hea- 
venly food, which none but an infinite love could have 
prepared. What is there thou couldst have done to 
gain the heart of thy people, and hast not done 1 But 
how insensible, bountiful Redeemer, have we been 
of those great blessings and favors ! We have showed 
irreverence, disrespect, and even contempt before thy 
divine Majesty, in whose presence the Saints and 
Angels bend with awe, and the heavens themselves 
tremble. Whilst offered on our altars, the same of- 
fences, the same indignity and ingratitude are com- 
mitted by those very people, who have often been fed 
at thy sacred table, nourished with thy own substance, 
and on whom thou hast placed the love of thy Heart. 

amiable Heart of my dearest Saviour, who can 
express thy affliction at the sight of such ingratitude \ 
But how long, sweet Jesus, will thy adorable Heart 
be thus despised and contemned by wicked man ! How 
long wilt thou permit thyself to be betrayed into the 
hands of thy mortal enemies ! How long wilt thou 
suffer their scorn and contempt of thy Majesty, in the 
adorable sacrament of the altar ! Sorely afflicted at 
the thought of these injustices and sacrileges, I cast 
myself, with all humility, at the throne of thy mercy : 
graciously hear, sweet Jesus, the worst of thy ser- 
vants, who, in behalf of the Community and of the 



364 



DEVOTIONS TO THE 



whole Church, here presents to thee, thy own ador- 
able Heart, inflamed with love for these thy perse- 
cutors, and praying for thy enemies : Father, forgive 
them, for they know not what they do. 

Most merciful Heart of Jesus ! propitiously hear the 
uninterrupted supplications of thy Saints and Angels, 
of thy holy martyrs and confessors, in atonement for 
these repeated insults and injuries ; while in satisfac- 
tion for the same, I offer the following tribute of re- 
paration on my own and their part. 

Here say any five acts you please, of the four and twenty, 
beginning page 357* 



Of the sacred Heart and sufferings of Jesus Christ to his 
Eternal Father, in satisfaction for offences committed. 

A LMIGHTY and eternal Father ! permit me to 



inflamed with the love of thee, and wounded with the 
love of us. Receive, merciful Father, this divine 
heart pleading for us, through that ready obedience to 
thy holy will, by which he subjected himself on earth 
to all our miseries, pains and afflictions. Receive, in 
satisfaction for our sins, that love of his sacred Heart, 
which caused him to undergo for us that cruel flagel- 
lation at the pillory, that tormenting crown of thorns. 
Receive that divine Heart, which, through love of us, 
embraced the heavy cross, and bore its weight to 
Mount Calvary. Receive, O eternal Father, that most 
inflamed and humble Heart of Jesus, which, through 
love of us, laid itself on the hard wood of the cross, 
and offered its sacred hands and feet to cruel execu- 
tioners, to be transpierced with iron nails. Behold, 
O heavenly Father, this sacrifice of love, offered to 
thee for us poor sinners, in the Heart of thy dear Son : 
it is wounded, it bleeds, it expires through the infinite 
love it has for us. My God, if we have offended thee, 
will not the sight of this Heart suffice to appease thy 



AN OBLATION 




sacred Heart of thy dearest Son, 



SACRED HEART OF JESUS. 



365 



anger 1 Receive it, merciful Father, in atonement 
for our many offences ; it is most worthy of thy love 
and everlasting complacency. Amen. 

Then conclude the Novena by the following prayer : 

MOST amiable Heart of Jesus, beloved object of 
our most tender affections, may all honor, glory, 
love and benediction, be ever given to thee ! Be thou 
our comfort in adversity, our guide in prosperity, our 
safety in dangers, and protection against all our ene- 
mies, visible and invisible. Amen. 

A NOVENA TO THE SACRED HEART. 

OS ACRED and adorable Heart of Jesus ! Furnace 
of eternal charity ! Ocean of infinite mercy ! Con- 
solation of the afflicted ! Refuge of sinners ! and Hope 
of the whole world ! I most fervently adore thee, and 
unite my heart, my affections, and supplications, to the 
perpetual homage thou thyself, on our altar, renderest 
to thy eternal Father. 

Most amiable Heart, which hast loved us with an 
eternal love ! supply what is wanting in my love, and 
receive my desire, at least of loving thee with all the 
ardor and sincerity thou so justly meritest. But re- 
member, adorable Heart! that thou hast not dis- 
closed thyself to us only as an object of our adora- 
tions ; thou desirest much more to engage our love, 
and to become the ground and tender motive of our 
tender confidence. For this end thou wert pierced 
through with a lance on the cross ; and for the same 
purpose thou remainest a daily victim of thy own 
love on our altars. infinitely compassionate Heart 
of Jesus, which was overwhelmed with sorrow in the 
Garden of Olives, at the view of our spiritual and cor- 
poral miseries ! I recur to thee now with all the con- 
fidence thou desirest I should repose in the extent of 
thy power, and the riches of thy mercy. Convinced 
that those things which are impossible to human 

31* 



366 



THE JESUS PSALTER. 



means, are infinitely easy to thee; and relying with 
an humble, steadfast faith on the sacred words of 
Truth itself, that whatever we ask the Father in the 
name of Jesus should be granted ; I now most humbly 
implore, in that adorable name, in virtue of that pro- 
mise, and through the abundant mercies of the sacred 
Heart of Jesus, the particular favor I petition for in 
this Novena. [Specify it.~\ 

O blessed St. Gertrude, and all ye glorious servants 
of Christ, who, while on earth, were particularly de- 
voted to the sacred Heart of Jesus! join your prayers 
with mine, and implore the object of the petition which 
I now make, and specially offer up through your inter- 
cession. Beg likewise, from this adorable Heart, 
which has dominion over all hearts, and could in a 
moment change the most obdurate, to have compas- 
sion on those who are in the dreadful state of mortal 
sin, and to open to us all the treasures of its mercy at 
the hour of our death. Amen. 

4, 

THE JESUS PSALTER. 

There is no other name under heaven given to men, 
whereby we must be saved. Acts iv 12. 

The Psalters now in use among devout Christians 
are three: the first, David's, which contains thrice 
fifty psalms ; the second, is that of our blessed Lady, 
commonly ealled the Rosary, or Beads, composed of 
thrice fifty Hail Marys ; the third, is the Psalter, or 
invocation of Jesus, which consists of fifteen peti- 
tions ; and., the glorious name of Jesus being repeated 
ten times before each of them, the repetition is made 
thrice fifty times. 

It may be said as the Rosary, either all at once or , 
at three different times, according to the person's de- 



THE JESUS PSALTER. 



367 



votion or leisure. To say it at three different periods, 
will perhaps be the more advisable mode, inasmuch 
as this sacred name is not to be repeated hastily, but 
with great reverence and attention. 

PART I. 

Begin by devoutly bowing at the adorable name of 
Jesus, saying: 

IN the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of 
those that are in heaven, on earth, and in hell ; 
and every tongue should confess, that the Lord Jesus 
Christ is in the glory of God the Father. Philip, ii 
10, 11. 

FIRST PETITION. 

JESUS, Jesus, Jesus, } 
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, > have mercy on us. 
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, ) 
Jesus ! have mercy on me. God of compassion! 
forgive the many and great offences I have committed 
in thy sight. 

Many have been the follies of my life ; and great 
are the miseries I have deserved for my ingratitude. 

Have mercy on me, dear Jesus ! for I am weak. O 
Lord ! heal me, who am unable to help myself. 

Deliver me from setting my heart upon any of thy 
creatures, which may dirert my eyes from continually 
looking up to thee. 

Grant me grace henceforth, for the love of thee, to 
hate sin, and, out of a just esteem of thee, to despise 
all worldly vanities. 

Have mercy on all sinners, Jesus ! I beseech 
thee. Turn their vices into virtues ; and, making 
them true observers of thy law, and sincere lovers of 
thee, bring them to bliss and everlasting glory. 

Have mercy also on the souls in purgatory, for 
thy bitter passion, I beseech thee, and for thy glorious 
name, Jesus. 



368 



THE JESUS PSALTER. 



O blessed Trinity, one eternal God ! have mercy 
on me. 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. 

SECOND PETITION. 

JESUS, Jesus, Jesus, ) 
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, > help me. 
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, ) 
Jesus ! help me to overcome all temptation to sin, 
and the malice of my spiritual enemy. 

Help me to spend my time in virtuous actions, and 
in such labors as are acceptable to thee : 

To resist and repress the motions of my flesh, in 
sloth, gluttony and lust : 

To render my heart enamored of virtue, and in- 
flamed with desires of thy glorious presence. 

Help me to deserve and keep a good name, by a 
peaceful and pious life, to thy honor, Jesus I my own 
comfort, and the benefit of others. 
Have mercy on all sinners, &c. 
Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. 

THIRD PETITION. 

JESUS, Jesus, Jesus, } 
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, > strengthen me. 
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, ) 
Jesus ! strengthen me in soul and body, to please 
thee in executing such works of virtue as may bring 
me to thy everlasting joy and felicity. 

Grant to me a firm purpose, most merciful Saviour ! 
to reform my life, and make amends for the years 
past: those years which I have misspent, to thy dis- 
pleasure, in vain or wicked thoughts, words, deeds 
and evil customs. 

Make my heart obedient to thy will, and ready for 
thy love, to perform all the works of mercy. 

Grant me the gift of the Holy Ghost, which, through 
a virtuous life, and a devout frequenting of thy most 



THE JESUS PSALTER. 



369 



holy Sacraments, may at length bring me to thy hea- 
venly kingdom. 

Have mercy on all sinners, &c. 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. 

FOURTH PETITION. 

JESUS, Jesus, Jesus, ) 
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, > comfort me. 
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, ) 
Jesus ! comfort me, and give me grace to place my 
chief, my only joy and felicity in thee. 

Send me heavenly meditations, spiritual sweet- 
nesses, and fervent desires of thy glory. Ravish my 
soul with the contemplations of heaven, where I shall 
everlastingly dwell with thee. 

Bring often to my remembrance thy unspeakable 
goodness, thy gifts, and the great kindness which 
thou hast shown to me. 

And when thou bringest to my mind the sad re- 
membrance of my sins, whereby I have so ungrate- 
fully offended thee, comfort me with the assurance of 
obtaining thy grace by the spirit of perfect repent- 
ance, which may purge away my guilt, and prepare 
me for thy kingdom. 

Have mercy on all sinners, &c. 
Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. 

FIFTH PETITION. 

JESUS, Jesus, Jesus, ) 
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, > make me constant. 
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, ) 
Jesus ! make me constant in faith, hope and charity ; 
giving me a perseverance in all virtue, and a resolu- 
tion never to offend thee. 

Let the memory of thy passion, and of those bitter 
pains thou sufferedst for me, strengthen my patience, 
and recreate me, in all tribulation and adversity. 
Let me always hold fast the doctrines of thy Catho- 



370 



THE JESUS PSALTER. 



lie Church ; and render me a diligent frequenter of 
all holy duties. 

Let no false delight of this deceitful world blind 
me, no temptation of the flesh, or fraud of the devil, 
shake my heart — my heart, which has for ever set up 
its rest in thee, and resolved to undervalue them all 
for thy eternal reward. 

Have mercy on all sinners, I beseech thee, Jesus ! 
Turn their vices into virtues ; and, making them true 
observers of thy law, and sincere lovers of thee, bring 
them to bliss in everlasting glory. 

Have mercy, also, on the souls in Purgatory, for 
thy bitter passion, I beseech thee, and for thy glorious 
name, Jesus. 

blessed Trinity, one eternal God ! have mercy 
on me. 

Our Lord Jesus Christ " humbled himself, becom- 
ing obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." 
Philip, ii 8. 

Hear these my petitions, most merciful Saviour! 
and grant me thy grace so frequently to repeat and 
consider them, that they may prove easy steps, by 
which my soul may mount to the knowledge, love 
and performance of my duty to thee and my neighbor, 
through the whole course of my life. Amen, 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. I believe in 
God, &c. 

PART II. 

Begin as before, saying : 

IN the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, &c. 
(p. 367.) 

SIXTH PETITION. 

JESUS, Jesus, Jesus, ) 
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, i me with spi- 

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, ) rltual wlsdom - 
Jesus ! enlighten me with spiritual wisdom, to know 



THE JESUS PSALTER. 



371 



thy goodness, and all those things which are most ac- 
ceptable to thee. 

Grant me a clear apprehension of my only good, 
and a discretion to order my life according to it. 

Grant that I may wisely proceed from virtue to vir- 
tue, till at length I arrive unto the clear vision of thy 
glorious Majesty. 

Permit me not, dear Lord ! to return to those sins 
for which I have been sorry, and of which I have pu- 
rified myself by confession. 

Grant me grace to benefit the souls of others by 
my good example, and to reduce those b} r my good 
counsel who misbehave themselves towards me. 

Have mercy on all sinners, Jesus ! I beseech 
thee. Turn their vices into virtues; and, making 
them true observers of thy law, and sincere lovers of 
thee, bring them to bliss in everlasting glory. 

Have mercy also on the souls in Purgatory, for thy 
bitter passion, I beseech thee, and for thy glorious 
name, Jesus. 

O blessed Trinity, one eternal God ! have mercy 
on me. 

O Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. 

SEVENTH PETITION. 

JESUS, Jesus, Jesus, ) 
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, > grant me grace to fear thee. 
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, ) 
Jesus ! grant me grace inwardly to fear thee, and to 
avoid all occasions of offending thee. 

Let thy threats of the torments which are to fall on 
sinners, the dread of losing thy love and thy heavenly 
inheritance, always keep me in awe. 

Let me not dare to remain in sin, but return soon to 
repentance, lest, through thy anger, the dreadful sen- 
tence of endless death and damnation fall upon me. 

Let the powerful intercession of thy blessed Mother, 
and all thy Saints ; but, above all, let thy own merits 



372 



THE JESUS PSALTER. 



and mercy, my Saviour ! ever be between thy aveng- 
ing justice and my poor soul. 

Enable me, my God ! to work out my salvation 
with fear and trembling ; and let the apprehensions 
of thy secret judgments render me a more humble and 
diligent suitor at the throne of thy grace. 

Have mercy on all sinners, &c. 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. 

EIGHTH PETITION. 

JESUS, Jesus, Jesus, } 
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, > grant me grace to love thee. 
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, ) 
Jesus ! grant me grace truly to love thee for thy 
infinite goodness, and those excessive bounties I have 
received, and hope for ever to receive from thee. 

Let the remembrance of thy kindness and patience 
conquer the malice and wretched inclinations of my 
perverse nature. 

Let the consideration of thy many deliverances, thy 
frequent calls and continual assistance in the ways of 
life, make me ashamed of my ingratitude. 

And what dost thou require of me for all thy mercies, 
but to love thee 1 And why dost thou require it, but 
because thou art my only good 1 

my dear Lord ! my whole life shall be nothing 
but a desire of thee : and, because I now indeed love 
thee, I will most diligently keep thy commandments. 
Have mercy on all sinners, &c. 
Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. 

NINTH PETITION. 

JESUS, Jesus, Jesus, ) , 
Jesus, Jesus! Jesus! ( ^ ^ ™ toremember 
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, ) m ^ ea 

Jesus ! grant me grace always to remember my 
death, and the great account I am then to give ; that 
so, my soul being always well disposed, it may de- 
part from this world in thy grace. 



THE JESUS PSALTER. 



373 



Then, by the holy intercession of thy blessed Mo- 
ther, and the assistance of the glorious St. Michael, 
deliver me from the enemy of my soul. And thou, 
my good Angel ! I beseech thee to help me, at that 
most important hour. 

Then, dear Jesus ! remember thy mercy, and turn 
not thy most amiable face away from me, because of 
my offences. Secure me against the terrors of that 
day, by causing me now to die daily to earthly things, 
and to have my conversation continually in heaven. 

Let the remembrance of thy death teach me how to 
esteem my life ; and the memory of thy resurrection, 
encourage me to descend cheerfully into the grave. 

Have mercy on all sinners, &c. 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. 

TENTH PETITION. 

JESUS, Jesus, Jesus, } 
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, > send me here my purgatory. 
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, ) 
Jesus ! send me here my purgatory, and so prevent 
the torments of that cleansing fire which attends those 
souls in the next world that have not been sufficiently 
purged in this. 

Vouchsafe to grant me those merciful crosses and 
afflictions which thou seest necessary for withdraw- 
ing my affections from ail things here below. 

Since none can see thee that loves any thing which 
is not for thy sake, suffer not my heart to find any rest 
here, but in sighing after thee. 

Too bitter, alas ! will be the anguish of a soul 
which is separated from thee ; which desires, but can- 
not come to thee, being clogged with the heavy chains 
of sin. 

Here then, Saviour, keep me continually morti- 
fied to this world, that, being cleansed thoroug-hly 
with the fire of thy love, I may immediately pass from 
hence into thy everlasting possessions. 

62 



374 



THE JESUS PSALTER. 



Have mercy on all sinners, Jesus, I beseech thee. 
Turn their vices into virtues ; and, making them true 
observers of thy law, and sincere lovers of thee, bring 
them to bliss in everlasting glory. 

Have mercy also on the souls in purgatory, for thy 
bitter passion, I beseech thee, and for thy glorious 
name, Jesus. 

blessed Trinity, one eternal God ! have mercy 
on me. 

Our Lord Jesus Christ humbled himself, becoming 
obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 
Philip, ii 8. 

Hear these my petitions, &c. 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. I believe in 
God, &c. 



i 



PART III. 

Begin as before, saying : 

N the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, &c, 
p. 367. 

ELEVENTH PETITION. 

JESUS, Jesus, Jesus, ) .,, 
t t t ' f grant me grace to avoid ill 
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, > & & 
-r t ' T 'V company. 
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, ) r J 

Jesus ! grant me grace to avoid ill company ; or, if 
I chance to come among such, I beseech thee by the 
merits of thy uncorrupt conversation among sinners, 
preserve me from being overcome by any temptations 
to mortal sin. 

Cause me, blessed Lord ! to remember always 
with dread, that thou art present, who wilt take an ac- 
count of all our words and actions, and wilt judge us 
according to them. 

How dare I then converse with slanderers, liars, 
drunkards, or swearers, or with those whose discourse 
is either quarrelsome, dissolute or vain 1 

Repress in me, dear Jesus, all inordinate affections 



THE JESUS PSALTER. 



375 



to carnal pleasure, and to the delight of taste; grant- 
ing me the grace to avoid such company as would 
blow the fire of those unruly appetites. 

Thy power defend, thy wisdom direct, thy fatherly 
pity chastise me, and make me live so here among 
men, that I may be fit for the conversation of Angels 
hereafter. 

Have mercy on all sinners, &c. 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. 

TWELFTH PETITION. 

JESUS, Jesus, Jesus, ) , „ 
Jesus', Jesus', Jesus, me grweto ^all on 

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, ) 
Jesus ! grant me grace, in all my necessities, to call 
on thee for help, faithfully remembering thy death and 
resurrection for me. 

Wilt thou be deaf to my cries, who wouldst lay 
down thy life for my ransom 1 Or, canst thou not 
save me, who couldst take it up again, for my crown ? 

Whom have I in heaven, but thee, O my Jesus, 
whose blessed mouth has pronounced " Call upon 
me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee V 

Thou art my sure rock of defence against all sorts of 
enemies. Thou art my ready grace, able to strengthen 
me to do every good work. 

Therefore, in all my sufferings, in all my weak- 
nesses and temptations, I will confidently call on thee. 
Hear me, my Jesus ! and when thou hearest, have 
mercy. 

Have mercy on all sinners, &c. 
Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. 

THIRTEENTH PETITION. 

JESUS, Jesus, Jesus, ) 
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, > make me persevere in virtue. 
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, ) 
Jesus ! make me persevere in virtue, and a good 



376 



THE JESUS PSALTER. 



life, and never give over thy service, till thou bringest 
me to my reward in thy kingdom. 

In all pious customs and holy duties, in my honest 
and necessary employments, continue and strengthen, 
Lord, both my soul and body. 

Is my life any thing but a pilgrimage on earth, to- 
wards the new Jerusalem, to which he that sits down, 
or turns out of his way, can never arrive 1 

Jesus, make me always consider thy blessed ex- 
ample. Through how much pain, and how little plea- 
sure, thou pressedst on to a bitter death ; that being 
the way to a glorious resurrection. 

Make me, my Redeemer, seriously weigh those 
severe words of thine, that he only that perseveres to 
the end, shall be saved. 

Have mercy on all sinners, Sec. 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. > 



FOURTEENTH PETITION". 

ESUS, Jesus, Jesus,") 

Jesus Jesus Jesus i me W* * to ^ 

T ' T t ' \ mind on thee. 

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, J 

Jesus, grant me grace to fix my mind on thee, espe- 
cially in time of prayer, when I directly converse with 
thee. 

Stop the fancies of my wandering mind, the de- 
sires of my unsteady heart; and suppress the power 
of my spiritual enemies, who endeavor, at that time, to 
draw my mind from heavenly thoughts, to many vain 
imaginations. 

So shall I, with joy and gratitude, look on thee as 
my deliverer from all the evils I have escaped, and as 
my benefactor for all the goods I have ever received, 
or can hope for. 

I shall see, that thou thyself art my only good, and 
that all other things are but means ordained by thee 
to make me fix mvmind on thee, to make me love thee 



THE JESUS PSALTER. 



377 



more and more ; and, by loving thee, to be eternally 
happy. 

beloved of my soul ! take up all my thoughts 
here ; that my eyes, abstaining from all vain and hurt- 
ful sights, may become worthy to behold thee face to 
face, in thy glory, for ever. 

Have mercy on all sinners, &c. 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. 

FIFTEENTH PETITION. 

JESUS, Jesus, Jesus, ^ give me grace to order 
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, > my life with reference 
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, J to my eternal welfare. 
Jesus ! give me grace to order my life with refer- 
ence to my eternal welfare, heartily intending, and 
wisely resigning all the operations of my body and 
soul, for obtaining the reward of thy infinite bliss, and 
eternal felicity. 

For, what else is this world, but a school to instruct 
souls, and fit them for the other 1 And how are they 
fitted, but by an eager desire of enjoying God, their 
only end 1 

Break my froward spirit, Jesus ! make it humble 
and obedient. Grant me grace to depart hence with a 
contempt of this world, and a heart filled with joy at 
my going to thee. 

Let the memory of thy passion make me cheerfully 
undergo all temptations or sufferings here, for thy love ; 
while my soul breathes after that blissful life and im- 
mortal glory, which thou hast ordained in heaven for 
thy servants. 

Jesus ! let me frequently and attentively consider, 
that whatsoever I gain, if I lose thee, all is lost ; and 
whatsoever I lose, if I gain thee, all is gained. 

Have mercy on all sinners, &c. 

Our Lord Jesus Christ "humbled himself, becoming 
obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." 
Philip, ii. 8. 

32* 



378 NOVENA IN HONOR OF THE NAME OF JESUS. 



Hear these my petitions, &c. 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. I believe in 
God, &c. 

— ♦ — 

[A NOYENA IN HONOR OF THE NAME OF JESUS. 

MERCIFUL Jesus ! who didst in early infancy 
commence thy office of Saviour, by shedding thy 
precious blood, and assuming for us that name which 
is above all names ; we thank thee for such early 
proofs of thy infinite love ; we venerate thy sacred 
name, in union with the profound respect of the Angel 
who first announced it to the earth, and unite our affec- 
tions to the sentiments of tender devotion, which the 
adorable name of Jesus has, in all ages, enkindled in 
the hearts of thy servants. 

Animated with a firm faith in thy unerring word, 
and penetrated with confidence in thy mercy, we now 
most humbly remind thee of the promise thou hast 
made, that, when two or three should assemble in thy 
name, thou thyself wouldst be in the midst of them. 
Come, then, into the midst of us, most amiable Jesus! 
for it is in thy sacred name we are here assembled. 
Come into our hearts, that thy holy Spirit may pray 
in and by us ; and mercifully grant us, through that 
adorable name, which is the joy of heaven, the terror 
of hell, the consolation of the afflicted, and the solid 
ground of our unlimited confidence, all the petitions 
we make in this Novena. 

blessed Mother of our Redeemer! who didst par- 
ticipate so sensibly in the sufferings of thy dear Son, 
when he shed his sacred blood, and assumed for us 
the name of Jesus; obtain for us, through that adora- 
ble name, the favors we petition in this Novena. Beg 
also, that the most ardent love may imprint on our 
hearts that sacred name, that it may be always in our 



N OVEN A TO THE INFANT JESUS. 379 



minds, and frequently on our lips ; that it may be our 
defence in temptations, and our refuge in danger dur- 
ing our lives ; and our consolation and support in the 
hour of death. Amen, 



A NOVENA TO THE INFANT JESUS. 

This Novena is usually made during the nine days pre- 
ceding Christmas, to prepare for the coming of Christ, and 
to obtain some particular favor. 

Being fully recollected in spirit, and respectfully kneel- 
ing before the altar or picture of the nativity of our Lord, 
you will address the following petition to our blessed Lady 
and St. Joseph, beginning with the sign of the cross. 

PETITION. 

OMOST sacred Virgin, and blessed St. Joseph ! 
obtain for us the grace to perform this Novena 
with such attention, devotion, and ardent charity, as 
will entitle us to join the angels in rendering glory to 
God. Amen, 

Let us say twelve Hail Marys, in remembrance of the 
care and solicitude shown by our blessed Lady, towards 
the Infant Jesus, till his twelfth year. Hail Mary, &c. 

Let us say three Our Fcthers, in honor of the three years 
of our Lord's infancy. Our Father, &c. 

Let us make three aspirations, to incline the Infant Jesus 
to turn his favorable attention on us. 

1st. Divine Infant of Bethlehem, whom we adore 
and acknowledge to be our sovereign Lord ! come and 
take birth in our hearts. Amen. 

2d. Infant Jesus ! grant that each moment of our 
lives, we may pay homage to that moment, in which 
thou didst begin the work of our salvation. Amen, 

3d. O sacred Mother of our Infant Saviour ! obtain 
that we may so prepare ourselves for his coming, as 
not to be separated from him for all eternity. Amen 



380 THE THIRTY DAYS' PRAYER. 



LET US PRAY. 

MOST holy infant Jesus, true God and true man, 
our Saviour and Redeemer; with all earnest- 
ness and respect, we beseech thee, by that charity, 
humility and bounty, which thou didst display in thy 
infancy, graciously undertaken for the love of us, that 
thou vouchsafe to grant us the favor we now beg, if it 
be for the honor of God and our salvation. Amen, 

Here each one will petition in spirit the particular favor 
she wishes to obtain. (Pause for a short time.) 

most amiable Infant Jesus ! we are most unwor- 
thy to be heard in this our petition ; but thy holy 
Mother, the Virgin Mary, and the great St. Joseph, 
thy foster father while on earth, are worthy to be heard 
soliciting in our behalf. Then, Divine Infant ! being 
mindful of their most sublime merits, especially those 
they acquired during the time they served thee in thy 
infancy in Bethlehem, thy flight into Egypt, and thy 
childhood at Nazareth, vouchsafe to grant our request, 
and give us grace to promote the honor of thy omni- 
potent infancy, to serve thee with fidelity, as domestic 
servants, all the days of our lives, and to obtain a 
happy death, assisted in that last hour by the Blessed 
Virgin and St. Joseph, whose zeal for thy honor will 
lead us to praise and bless thy divine mercies for ever 
and ever. Amen, 

— • — 

THE THIRTY DAYS' PRAYER. 

GLORY, honor, and praise be to our Lord Jesus 
Christ: may all the world adore thee: blessed 
be thy holy name, who for us sinners vouchsafedst to 
be born of an humble Virgin ; and blessed be thine 
infinite goodness, who didst die upon the cross for our 
redemption. 



THE THIRTY DAYs' PRAYER. 381 



Jesus, Son of God, and Saviour of mankind ! we 
beseech thee to have mercy on us, and so dispose our 
lives here by thy grace, that we may hereafter rejoice 
with thee for ever in thy heavenly kingdom. Amen, 

THIRTY DAYS' PRAYER TO OUR BLESSED 
REDEEMER, IN HONOR OF HIS BITTER PAS- 
SION. 

ODEAR Jesus, my blessed Saviour and Redeemer, 
the sweet comforter of all sad, desolate and dis- 
tressed souls ! behold thy poor servant, humbly pros- 
trate at the foot of thy holy cross, bewailing her 
misery, imploring thy mercy, and beseeching thee to 
take pity and compassion upon her in this her present 
and pressing affliction, (infirmity, poverty, temptation, 
trouble, or whatsoever other spiritual or corporal ne- 
cessity.) 

Hear my prayers, O assured refuge of all afflicted 
wretches ! behold my tears, consider my sorrows, and 
remedy my distresses ; for, finding myself encompassed 
with very grievous calamities, by reason of my great 
crimes, I know not whither to fly for succor, or to 
whom I may make my moan, but to thee, my meek 
and merciful Saviour, with a full hope and confidence 
that thou, my loving Redeemer, wilt vouchsafe to 
lend the ears of thy accustomed clemency to the hum- 
ble petition of thy poo 1 * child. This blessing I earn- 
estly beg of thee by that sweetness which thy blessed 
soul experienced at the time of thy alliance with our 
human nature, when thou remainedst true God and true 
man, for the space of nine months, in the chaste womb 
of thy blessed Mother : 

By the anguish thou endurest, when, the time of thy 
passion drawing nigh, thou prayedst to thy eternal Fa- 
ther, that, if it accorded with his most divine provi- 
dence, thou desiredst that the bitter chalice might pass 
away from thee ; yet concluding with a perfect act of 
resignation : Father, not my will, but thine be done : 



382 THE THIRTY DAYS' PRAYER. 



By the outrageous injuries, shameful disgraces, cruel 
blows, contumelious blasphemies, false accusations, 
and unjust judgments, which thou, innocent Lamb ! 
patiently enduredst ; by the shackles which fettered 
thy limbs, the tears which flowed from thine eyes, the 
blood which trickled from thy whole body ; by the 
fears, sorrows, and sadness of thy heart ; by the shame 
thou didst experience in being stripped of thy gar- 
ments, to hang naked on the cross, in the sight of 
thy sorrowful Mother, and in the presence of all the 
people : 

By thy royal head crowned with thorns, and smitten 
with a reed ; by thy thirst quenched with vinegar and 
gall ; by thy side opened with a spear, whence issued 
blood and water, to refresh our souls with that living 
fountain of thy love and mercy ; by the sharp nails 
wherewith thy tender hands and feet were cruelly 
pierced and fastened to the cross ; by the recommen- 
dation of thy departing soul to thy heavenly Father, 
saying : Into thy hands I commend my spirit ; by thy 
praying for thy enemies : Father, forgive them, for they 
know not what they do,- by thy giving up the ghost, 
w T hen thou criedst out with a loud voice : My God, 
my God, why hast thou forsaken me? and then, bow- 
ing down thy most blessed head to impart the kiss of 
peace, saidst: It is consummated: 

By the great mercy thou showedst towards the 
penitent thief, saying : This day thou shalt be with me 
in paradise ; by thy descent into Limbo, and the joy 
thou communicatedst to the just souls therein de- 
tained ; by the glory of thy triumphant resurrection, 
and the consoling apparition thou frequently didst 
make, for forty days' space, to thy sacred Virgin Mo- 
ther, to thy Apostles, and thy other chosen friends 
and servants; by thy admirable Ascension, when, in 
the sight of thy Mother and thy Apostles, thou wast 
elevated into heaven ; by the miraculous coming down 
of the Holy Ghost in the form of fiery tongues, w T hereby 



THE THIRTY DAYS* PRAYER. 



383 



thou replenishedst the hearts of thy disciples with thy 
love, gavest them strength and courage to plant thy 
faith in the whole world ; by the dreadful day of gene- 
ral judgment, on which thou art to pass sentence on 
all mankind : 

By all those sorrows, joys, passions, compassions, 
and whatsoever else is near and dear to thee in heaven 
and on earth, take pity on me, compassionate Re- 
deemer ! hear my prayers ; and grant me that for which 
I now most humbly and heartily petition thee. [Men- 
tion here the thing you desire ; or reflect mentally 
upon it.] 

Give me, gracious Saviour ! speedy and effica- 
cious feelings of thy divine succor and comfort, \Vho, 
according to the accustomed sweetness of thy tender 
heart, art wont to grant the requests of those who 
really fear and love thee, even to their soul's desire 
and satisfaction ; bestow on me, also, my blessed 
Lord Jesus, a lively and firm faith, a confident hope, 
a perfect charity, a true contrition, a sincere confes- 
sion, a competent satisfaction, a diligent custody of my- 
self from all future failings, a heroic contempt of the 
world, a complete conquest of my passions, a zealous 
imitation of thy exemplary life and conversation, an 
entire accomplishment of my vows, an absolute mor- 
tification of my self-will, a willing readiness to die 
for thy love and honor, final perseverance in grace and 
good works, a happy departure of my soul out of this 
world, with my perfect senses about me, thy holy 
sacraments to strengthen me ; thyself, O dear Jesus, 
to comfort me ; thy sacred Virgin Mother, with the 
Saints, my particular patrons, to pray for me, and my 
good Angel to conduct me to eternal rest, eternal life, 
eternal happiness. Amen. 



A UNIVERSAL PRAYER FOR ALL THINGS NECES- 
SARY TO SALVATION. 

OMY God, I believe in thee ; do thou strengthen 
my faith. All my hopes are in thee; do thou 
secure them. I love thee with my whole heart; teach 
me to love thee daily more' and more. I am sorry that 
I have offended thee ; do thou increase my sorrow. 

I adore thee as my first beginning. I aspire after 
thee as my last end. I give thee thanks as my con- 
stant benefactor. I call upon thee as my sovereign 
protector. 

Vouchsafe, my God, to conduct me by thy wis- 
dom, to restrain me by thy justice, to comfort me by 
thy mercy, to defend me by thy power. 

To thee I desire to consecrate all my thoughts, 
words, actions, and sufferings ; that henceforward I 
may think of thee, speak of thee, willingly refer all 
my actions to thy greater glory, and suffer willingly 
whatever thou shalt appoint. 

Lord, I desire that in all things thy will may be done, 
because it is thy will, and in the manner thou wiliest. 

I beg of thee to enlighten my understanding, to in- 
flame my will, to purify my body, and to sanctify my 
soul. 

Give me strength, my God, to expiate my offences, 
to overcome my temptations, to subdue my passions, 
and to acquire the virtues proper for my state. 

Fill my heart with a tender affection for thy good- 
ness, a hatred for my faults, a love for my neighbor, 
and contempt for the world. 

Let me always remember to be submissive to my 
superiors, condescending to my inferiors, faithful to 
my friends, and charitable to my enemies. 

Assist me to overcome sensuality by mortification, 
avarice by alms-deeds, anger by meekness, and tepidity 
by devotion. 

O my God, make me prudent in my undertakings, 

384 



THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 385 



courageous in dangers, patient in afflictions, and hum- 
ble in prosperity. 

Grant, that I may ever be attentive at my prayers, 
temperate at my meals, diligent in my employments, 
and constant in my resolutions. 

Let my conscience be ever upright and pure, my 
exterior modest, my conversation edifying, and my 
comportment regular. 

Assist me, that I may continually labor to overcome 
nature, to correspond with thy grace, to keep thy com- 
mandments, and to work out my salvation. 

Discover to me, O my God, the nothingness of this 
world, the greatness of heaven, the shortness of time, 
and the length of eternity. 

Grant, that I may prepare for death ; that I may fear 
thy judgments ; that I may escape hell ; and, in the 
end, obtain heaven, through the merits of our Lord 
Jesus Christ. Amen. 



THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 

. There are few prayers so capable of disarming the jus- 
tice of God, as the Penitential Psalms. We should en- 
deavor to enter into the sentiments of compunction, love, 
devotedness, admiration and confidence, with which the 
Royal Prophet was penetrated when he composed them. 

He often speaks of the enemies who persecuted him, and 
these expressions may readily be applied to the devil and 
to sin. 

ANTHEM. 

REMEMBER not, Lord ! our offences, nor those 
of our parents, and take not revenge on our sins. 

Psalm vi. Domine ne in furore. 
1. David, m deep affliction, prays for a mitigation of the 
divine anger, 4. in consideration of God's mercy ; 5. his 
glory ; 6. his own repentance ; 8. by faith triumphs over 
his enemies. 

OLORD, rebuke me not in thy indignation, nor 
chastise me in thy wrath. 

33 



386 THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 



Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am weak : heal 
me, Lord, for my bones are troubled. 

And my soul is troubled exceedingly ; but thou, 
Lord, how long ] 

Turn to me, Lord, and deliver my soul : save 
me for thy mercy's sake. 

For there is no one in death that is mindful of thee : 
and who shall confess to thee in hell 1 

I have labored in my groanings : every night I will 
wash my bed, 1 will water my couch with my tears. 

My eye is troubled through indignation : I have 
grown old amongst all my enemies. 

Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity : for the 
Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. 

The Lord hath heard my supplication : the Lord 
hath received my prayer. 

Let all my enemies be ashamed, and be very much 
troubled : let them be turned back, and be ashamed 
very speedily. 

Glory be, &c. 

Psalm xxxi. Beati quorum. 

1. Blessings of remission of sins ; 3. misery of impeni- 
tence ; 6. confession of sins bringeth ease; 8. safety; 
14. joy. 

BLESSED are they whose iniquities are forgiven, 
and whose sins are covered. 
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord hath not im- 
puted sin, and in whose spirit there is no guile. 

Because I was silent my bones grew old; whilst I 
cried out all the day long. 

For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: 
I am turned in my anguish, whilst the thorn is fast- 
ened. 

I have acknowledged my sin to thee, and my injus- 
tice I have not concealed. 

I said 1 will confess against myself my injustice to 



THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 387 



the Lord ; and thou hast forgiven the wickedness of 
my sin. 

For this shall every one that is holy pray to thee, in 
a seasonable time. 

And yet in a flood of many waters, they shall not 
come nigh unto him. 

Thou art my refuge from the trouble which hath 
encompassed me : my joy, deliver me from them that 
surround me. 

I will give thee understanding, and I will instruct 
thee in this way in which thou shalt go : I will fix 
my eyes upon thee. 

Do not become like the horse and the mule, who 
have no understanding. 

With bit and bridle bind fast their jaws, who 
come not near unto thee. 

Many are the scourges of the sinner, but mercy 
shall encompass him that hopeth in the Lord. 

Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice ye just: and glory, 
all ye right of heart. Glory be, &c. 

Psalm xxxvii. Domine, ne in furore, 

1. David's extreme anguish ; 15. he hoped in God ; 18. his 
resignation, grief ; 22. fervent prayer. 

REBUKE me not, O Lord, in thy indignation, nor 
chastise me in thy wrath. 
For thy arrows are fastened in me : and thy hand 
hath been strong upon me. 

There is no health in my flesh, because of thy 
wrath : there is no peace for my bones, because of my 
sins. 

For my iniquities are gone over my head ; and as a 
heavy burden are become heavy upon me. 

My sores are putrified and corrupted, because of my 
foolishness. 

I am become miserable, and am bowed down even 
to the end : I walked sorrowful all the day long. 



388 THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 



For my loins are rilled with illusions; and there is 
no health in my flesh. 

I am afflicted and humbled exceedingly : I roared 
with the groaning of my heart. 

Lord, all my desire is before ihee : and my groan- 
ing is not hidden from thee. 

My heart is troubled, my strength hath left me, and 
the light of mine eyes itself is not with me. 

My friends and my neighbors have drawn near, and 
stood against me. 

And they that were near me stood afar off ; and they 
that sought my soul used violence. 

And they that sought evils to me spoke vain things, 
and studied deceits all the day long-. 

But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and as a dumb 
man not opening his mouth. 

And I became as a man that heareth not, and that 
hath no reproofs in his mouth. 

For in thee, O Lord, have I hoped ; thou wilt hear 
me, O Lord my God. 

For I said : Lest at any time my enemies rejoice 
over me ; and whilst my feet are moved, they speak 
great things against me. 

For I am ready for scourges ; and my sorrow is 
continually before me. 

For I will declare my iniquity ; and 1 will think 
for my sin. 

But my enemies live, and are stronger than I ; and 
they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied. 

They that rendered evil for good have detracted me, 
because I followed goodness. 

Forsake me not, Lord my God ; do not thou de- 
part from me. 

Attend unto my help, Lord, the God of my sal- 
vation. 

Glory be, &c. 



THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 389 



Psalm 1. Miserere. 

1. David prayeth for remission of his sins ; 8. for perfect 
sanctity; 17. God delighteth less in sacrifice than in a 
contrite heart ; 19. David prayeth for the building of a 
temple in Jerusalem, figuratively, the exaltation of the 
Church. 

HAVE mercy on me, God, according to thy 
great mercy. 

And according to the multitude of thy tender mer- 
cies, blot out my iniquity. 

Wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse 
me from my sin. 

For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always be- 
fore me. 

To thee only have I sinned, and have done evil be- 
fore thee ; that thou mayest be justified in thy words, 
and mayest overcome when thou art judged. 

For behold I was conceived in iniquities ; and in 
sins did my mother conceive me. 

For behold thou hast loved truth : the uncertain and 
hidden things of thy wisdom thou hast made manifest 
to me. 

Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop and I shall be 
cleansed ; thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made 
whiter than snow. 

To my hearing thou shalt give joy and gladness; 
and the bones that have been humbled shall rejoice. 

Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out all 
my iniquities. 

Create a clean heart in me, God; and renew a 
right spirit within my bowels. 

Cast me not away from thy face ; and take not thy 
holy spirit from me. 

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and 
strengthen me with a perfect spirit. 

I will teach the unjust thy ways: and the wicked 
shall be converted to thee. 

33* 



390 THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 



Deliver me from blood, God, thou God of my sal- 
vation: and^my tongue shall extol thy justice. 

Lord, thou wilt open my lips : and my mouth 
shall declare thy praise. 

For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would indeed 
have given it; with burnt offerings thou wilt not be 
delighted. A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit: a 
contrite and humble heart, God, thou wilt not de- 
spise. 

Deal favorably, Lord, in thy good will, with Sion; 
that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up. 

Then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of justice, ob- 
lations and whole burnt offerings : then shall they lay 
calves upon thy altar. 

Glory be, &c. 

Psalm ci. Domine exaudi. 

1. The extreme affliction of the psalmist ; 12. the eternity 
and mercy of God; 19. to be recorded and praised by 
future generations ; 26. the unchangeableness of God. 

HEAR, O Lord, my prayer; and let my cry come 
to thee. 

Turn not away thy face from me; in the day when 
I am in trouble, incline thy ear to me. 

In what day soever I shall call upon thee, hear me 
speedily. 

For my days are vanished like smoke, and my bones 
are grown dry like fuel for the fire. 

1 am smitten as grass, and my heart is withered : 
because I forgot to eat my bread. 

Through the voice of my groaning, my bone hath 
cleaved to my flesh. 

I am become like to a pelican of the wilderness : I 
am like a night-raven in the house. 

I have watched, and am become as a sparrow all 
alone on the house-top. 

All the day long my enemies reproached me : and 
they that praised me did swear against me. 



THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 391 



For I did eat ashes like bread, and mingled my 
drink with weeping. 

Because of thy anger and indignation : for having 
lifted me up thou hast thrown me down. 

My days have declined like a shadow, and I am 
withered like grass. 

But thou, Lord, endurest for ever; and thy me- 
morial to all generations. 

Thou shalt arise, and have mercy on Sion : for it is 
time to have mercy on it ; for the time is come. 

For the stones thereof have pleased thy servants : 
and they shall have pity on the earth thereof. 

And the Gentiles shall fear thy name, O Lord, and 
all the kings of the earth thy glory. 

For the Lord hath built up Sion : and he shall be 
seen in his glory. 

He hath had regard to the prayer of the humble : and 
he hath not despised their petition. 

Let these things be written unto another generation: 
and the people that shall be created shall praise the 
Lord : 

Because he hath looked forth from his high sanc- 
tuary : from heaven the Lord hath looked upon the 
earth : 

That he might hear the groans of them that are in 
fetters : that he might release the children of the 
slain : 

That they may declare the name of the Lord in 
Sion, and his praise in Jerusalem. 

When the people assembled together, and kings, to 
serve the Lord, 

He answered him in the way of his strength : De- 
clare unto me the fewness of my days. 

Call me not away in the midst of my days : thy 
years are unto generation and generation. 

In the beginning, Lord, thou foundedst the earth: 
and the heavens are the works of thy hands. 



892 THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 



They shall perish, but thou remainest : and all of 
them shall grow old like a garment : 

And as a vesture thou shalt change them, and they 
shall be changed. But thou art always the self-same, 
and thy years shall not fail. 

The children of thy servants shall continue : and 
their seed shall be directed for ever. 

Glory be to the Father, &c. 

Psalm cxxix. De profundis. 
An excellent model for sinners imploring the divine mercy. 

OUT of the depths I have cried to thee, Lord : 
Lord, hear my voice. 
Let thy ears be attentive to the voice of my suppli- 
cation. 

I If thou, O Lord, wilt mark iniquities, Lord, who 
shall stand it] 

For with thee there is merciful forgiveness : and by 
reason of thy law, I have waited for thee, Lord. 

My soul hath relied on his word; my soul hath 
hoped in the Lord. 

From the morning watch even until night, let Is- 
rael hope in the Lord. 

Because with the Lord there is mercy ; and with 
him plentiful redemption. 

And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. 

Glory be to the Father, &c. 

Psalm cxlii. Domine exaudi. 

1. David prayeth for favor in judgment ; 3. represents his 
distress ; 7. he prayeth for grace ; 9. for deliverance ; 
10. for sanctiiication ; 12. victory over his enemies. 

HEAR, Lord, my prayer; give ear to my sup- 
plication in thy truth : hear me in thy justice, 
And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for 
in thy sight no man living shall be justified. 



THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 393 



For the enemy hath persecuted my soul : he hath 
brought down my life to the earth. 

He hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those 
that have been dead of old : and my spirit is in an- 
guish within me : my heart within me is troubled. 

I remembered the days of old : I meditated on all 
thy works : I meditated upon the works of thy hands. 

I stretched forth my hands to thee: my soul is as 
earth without water unto thee. 

Hear me speedily, Lord : my spirit hath fainted 
away. 

Turn not away thy face from me, lest I be like unto 
them that go down into the pit. 

Cause me to hear thy mercy in the morning; for in 
thee have I hoped. 

Make the way known to me, wherein I should walk.; 
for I have lifted up my soul to thee. 

Deliver me from my enemies, Lord, to thee have 
I fled : teach me to do thy will, for thou art my 
God. 

Thy good spirit shall lead me into the right land : 
for thy name's sake, O Lord, thou wilt quicken me in 
thy justice. 

Thou wilt bring my soul out of trouble : and in thy 
mercy thou wilt destroy my enemies. 

And thou wilt cut off all them that afflict my soul : 
for I am thy servant. Glory be to the Father, &c. 

Antk. Remember not, O Lord ! our offences, nor 
those of our parents, and take not revenge of our 
sins. 



■I 



THE LITANY OF THE BLESSED TRINITY. 

There are three that give testimony in heaven ; the Ia- 
ther, the Word, and the Holy Ghost : and these three are 
one. 1 John v 7. 



A PRAYER TO THE MOST HOLY TRINITY. 

GLORY be to the Father, who, by his power, hath 
brought me forth from nothing, and created me to his 
own likeness. Glory be to the Son, who, by his wisdom, 
hath delivered me from hell, and opened heaven for me. 
Glory be to the Holy Ghost, who, by his mercy, hath 
sanctified me in baptism, and still continueth to sanctify 
me, by the graces which I every day receive from him. 
Glory to the three adorable Persons of the blessed Trinity, 
as great now, and for ever, as it was from the beginning. 
We adore thee, O holy Trinity! we worship thee: we 
most humbly give thee thanks for having revealed to us 
this glorious, incomprehensible mystery. Grant, that by 
continuing to profess to the last moment of our lives this 
holy Faith, we may behold and glorify eternally in heaven, 
what we are now believing on earth — One God in three 
Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen. 



THE LITANY OF THE BLESSED TRINITY. 

LORD, have mercy on us. 
Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. 
God the Father of heaven, 

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, , w 
God the Holy Ghost, 

Holy Trinity, one God, S 
O sacred Trinity, undivided Godhead of Father, g 

Son, and Holy Ghost, 1 $ 

O sacred Trinity, true and only Deity, [ ^ 

O sacred Trinity, holy and perfect unity, 
O sacred Trinity, three persons in one God of equal 3 

glory and eternal majesty, § 
O sacred Trinity, from whom, by whom, and in 

whom are all things, 
394 



LITANY OF THE BLESSED TRINITY. 



sacred Trinity, the essential Being, the unerring 
Truth, and the true Life, 

O sacred Trinity, our first principle, and our last 
end, 

O sacred Trinity, who hast created man to thy 
image and likeness, 

O God the Father, eternal fountain of all being, 

O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

O God the Father, of whom all paternity in heaven 
and earth is named, 

O God the Father, who hast chosen us in thy Son 
before the creation of the world, 

O God the Father, who didst so love the world as 
to give thy only begotten Son to redeem it, 

O God the Father, who seekest such as adore thee 
in spirit and in truth, 

O God the Father, who hast adopted us as thy 
children in Jesus Christ, 

O God the Father, who hast prepared for us a glo- 
rious inheritance, if we love thee and keep thy com- 
mandments, 

O God the Son, born of the Father before all ages, 
O God the Son, light of light, true God of true God, 
O God the Son, begotten, not made, equal and con- 
substantial to the Father, 

O God the Son, image of the invisible God, the 
splendor of his glory, and the figure of his substance, 
O God the Son, the eternal word of the Father, 
O God the Son, by whom all things were made, 
O God the Son, who art in the bosom of the Father, 
O God the Son, who, to save us sinners, tookest 
upon thyself the frail nature of man, 

God the Son, who hast been seen upon earth, and 
hast conversed with men, , 

O God the Son, in whom it hath pleased the Father 
that all fulness should dwell, 

O God the Son, of whose fulness we all have re- 
ceived, 

O God the Son, who for our redemption becamest 
obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, 

O God the Son, to whom all power in heaven and 
earth is given by the Father, 

O God the Son, who at the last and dreadful day 
wilt come with glory to judge the living and the dead, J 



396 LITANY OF THE BLESSED TRINITY. 



3 

a 

O 
3 



God the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father , 
and the Son, 

O God the Holy Ghost, the eternal love of the Fa- 
ther and the Son, 

O God the Holy Ghost, by whom was wrought the 
glorious mystery of our Saviour's incarnation, 

OGod the Holy Ghost, best gift of the Father and 
the Son, 

O God the Holy Ghost, source of all goodness, and 
dispenser of all graces, 

O God the Holy Ghost, the strength and comforter 
of our souls, 

O God the Holy Ghost, by whom the charity of God 
is poured into our hearts, 

O God the Holy Ghost, the sanctifier and perfecter 
of our souls, 

Spirit of wisdom and understanding, 

Spirit of counsel and fortitude, 

Spirit of knowledge and godliness, 

Spirit of the fear of the Lord, 

O sacred Trinity, the object of our faith, hope and 
love upon earth, 

O sacred Trinity, whom we now see through a glass 
in an obscure manner, 

O sacred Trinity, whom we shall behold face to face 
in heaven, 

Lamb of God, &c. 

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 

yl Let us bless the Father and the Son, with the Holy 
Ghost. 

^. Let us praise and magnify him for ever. 

LET US PRAY. 

A LMIGHTY and Eternal God! by whose gift thy ser- 
J\_ vants, in the confession of the true faith, acknow- 
ledge the glory of an eternal Trinity, and in the power of 
Majesty adore a Unity; we beseech thee, that, by the 
firmness of the same faith, we may be secured from all 
adversities ; through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 



s 



THE LITANY OF THE LIFE AND PASSION OF 
JESUS CHRIST. 

LORD, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. 
God the Father of heaven, 
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, 
God the Holy Ghost, 
Holy Trinity, one God, 
Jesus, the desired of all nations, 
Jesus, sent by the Father into the world, 
Jesus, conceived by the Holy Ghost, 
Jesus, the word made flesh, 
Jesus, taking the form of a servant, 
Jesus, in the womb of Mary, visiting and sanctifying 
John the Baptist, 

Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary, 
Jesus, wrapped up in swaddling clothes, and laid in 
a manger, 

Jesus, adored by the shepherds, in the stable, _ ► 
Jesus, subjecting thyself to the law of circumcision, e 
Jesus, adored by the wise men, c 
Jesus, presented in the temple, s 
Jesus, carried into Egypt, t 
Jesus, sought for by Herod to be destroyed, f «S 

Jesus, brought up in Nazareth, c 
Jesus, lost by thy holy Mother, and found in the t 
temple, in the midst of the doctors, \ 
Jesus, subject to thy parents, 
Jesus, baptized by John, 
Jesus, fasting, and tempted in the desert, 
Jesus, conversing with men. 

Jesus, choosing poor and illiterate men for thy dis- 
ciples, 

Jesus, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God, 
Jesus, healing all diseases and infirmities among the 
people, 

Jesus, transfigured on the mountain, 
Jesus, sold for thirty pieces of silver, 
Jesus washing thy disciples' feet, 
Jesus, eating the Pasch with thy disciples. 
Jesus, making a food of thy Body, and a drink of 
thy Blood, for the nourishment of our souls, 

34 397 



398 



LITANY OF THE LIFE 



Jesus, prostrate in humble prayer in the garden of 
Olives, 

Jesus, thrown into an agony, and covered with a 
bloody sweat, 

Jesus, comforted by an Angel, 

Jesus, betrayed by Judas with a kiss, 

Jesus, tied and bound by thy enemies, 

Jesus, abandoned by thy disciples, 

Jesus, arraigned before Annas and Caiphas, 

Jesus, struck on the face by a servant, 

Jesus, accused by false witnesses, 

Jesus, judged guilty of death, 

Jesus, spit upon, blindfolded and buffeted, 

Jesus, denied thrice by Peter. 

Jesus, delivered in chains to Pilate, 

Jesus, despised and mocked by Herod, 

Jesus, postponed to Barabbas, 

Jesus, cruelly scourged with whips, 

Jesus, wounded and bruised for our sins, 

Jesus, clothed in derision with a purple garment, 

Jesus, crowned with thorns, 

Jesus, with a reed in thy hand instead of a sceptre, 
derided and insulted as a mock-king, 

Jesus, most unjustly condemned to the ignominious 
death of the cross, 

Jesus, loaded with a heavy cross, and carrying it to 
Calvary, 

Jesus, led as an innocent lamb to slaughter, 
Jesus, nailed to the cross, and elevated upon it, be- 
tween two thieves, 

Jesus, who hast loved us and delivered thyself for 
us, as an oblation and a sacrifice to God, 

Jesus, who didst wash us from our sins in thy blood, 
Jesus, praying for thy enemies, 
Jesus, blasphemed by those who passed by, 
Jesus, promising paradise to the repenting thief, 
Jesus, giving Mary to John for his mother, 
Jesus, amorously complaining of being forsaken by 
thy Father. 

Jesus, drenched in thy thirst with vinegar and 
gall, 

Jesus, recommending thy spirit into thy Father's 
hands, 

Jesus, bowing thy head, and expiring on the cross, 



AND PASSION OF JESUS CHRIST. 399 



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Jesus, whose side was opened with a spear, whence 
issued forth blood and water, 

Jesus, taken down from the cross, wrapped up in a 
clean linen cloth, and laid in a new monument, 

Jesus, whose soul, after thy death, descended into 
hell, 

Jesus, who wast delivered up for our sins, and who 
didst rise for our justification. 

Jesus, who, rising from the dead, diest now no 
more, 

Jesus, ascending into heaven, 

Jesus, who sittest at the right hand of God, 

Jesus, crowned with honor and glory, 

Jesus, King of kings, and Lord of lords, 

Jesus, who hast gone to prepare a place for us m 
the house of thy Father, 

Jesus, our advocate before the Father, always living 
to make intercession for us, 

Jesus, who didst send the Holy Ghost to thy disci- 
ples, 

Jesus, who wilt come at the last day to judge the 
living and the dead, 

Jesus, who wilt cast out the wicked into everlasting 
fire, 

Jesus, who wilt put thy elect in possession of thy 
eternal kingdom. 

Be merciful; Spare us, O Lord. 
Be merciful ; Hear us, O Lord. 
From all evil, Lord Jesus, deliver us. 
From a sudden and unprovided death, "| ^ 

From the snares of the devil, o 
From anger, hatred, and ill-will, pp- 
From everlasting death, I © 

Through thy most holy life, f ^ g 

Through thy most bitter passion, P° i» 

Through thy unspeakable glory, a. 
Through thy infinite merits, J ? 

We sinners do beseech thee to hear us. 
That being dead to sin, we may live to justice, we be- 
seech thee to hear us. 

That we may not glory, but in thy holy cross, we be- 
seech thee to hear us. 

That for the love of thee, the world may be crucified to 
us, and we to the world, we beseech thee to hear us. 



400 



LITANY OF THE PASSION 



That we may always bear about in our body thy ■ 
mortification, 

That we may crucify our flesh, with its vices and 
concupiscences, 

That we may take up our cross, every day, and fol- 
low thee, 

That we may seek, above all things, to know thee, 
our crucified Jesus, 

That thy sacred blood may cleanse our consciences 
from dead works, to serve the living God, 

That being dead to sin, and buried together with 
thee, we also may rise with thee, and walk in new- 
ness of life, 

That looking at the example thou hast left us, we 
may follow thy steps, 

That being partakers of thy sufferings, we may also 
be so of thy glory, 

Lamb of God, &c. 

Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. 

Truly, he has borne our infirmities. 
Jfi. And he has carried our sorrows. 

LET US PRAY. 

OGOD! whose only begotten Son, by his life, death, 
and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of 
eternal life ; grant, we beseech thee, that commemorating 
those sacred mysteries, we may imitate what they contain, 
and obtain what they promise ; through the same Christ, 
our Lord. Amen. 



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TO JESUS SUFFERING. 

Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, that 
you should follow his steps. 1 Pet. ii 21. 

A PRAYER TO JESUS SUFFERING. 

SPOTLESS Lamb! O Innocent Victim ! who, by 
thy death and blood, hast effaced the sins of man- 
kind, blot out my iniquities, and do not permit that thy 
sufferings should become useless to me. Jesus, aban- 
doned by every one, sorrowful, desolate and resigned 



OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. 401 

to death ! help me now to receive, with a resignation 
like thine, whatever afflictions thou shalt please to send 
me. O Jesus, calumniated, accused, despised ! teach me 
to look down on the judgments of men, and to suffer, with 
patience, the most base injuries. O Jesus, torn with 
stripes, pierced with thorns, weltering in blood for my 
sake ! teach me to endure, for love of thee, the anguish 
and inconvenience of ill health and sickness. O Jesus, 
abandoned to executioners, shamefully condemned to a 
cross ! enable me to fly all vain-glory, and embrace the 
most humbling confusion. O Jesus, sinking under the 
weight of thy cross ! I unite myself to thee, and my cross 
also to thine — may I ever carry it with the same strength 
and sweetness which thou didst. O Jesus, raised up on 
thy cross ! draw me now powerfully to thee ; thou art ex- 
piring for my sake, O let me never live but for thine ; that 
being henceforth crucified with thee, my whole occupation 
may be to love, to praise, and to adore thee. Amen. 

THE LITANY OF THE PASSION OF OUR LORD 
JESUS CHRIST. 

LORD, have mercy on us. 
Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. 
God the Father of heaven, 
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, 
God the Holy Ghost, 
Holy Trinity, one God, 
Jesus, made man to redeem us, 
Jesus, who, during thy whole life, didst burn with 
desire to die for us, 
Jesus, prostrate in prayer in the Garden of Olives, 
Jesus, agonizing and covered with a bloody sweat, 
Jesus, comforted by an Angel, 
Jesus, betrayed by Judas with a kiss, 
Jesus, tied and bound by thy enemies, 
Jesus, abandoned by thy disciples, 
Jesus, arraigned before Annas and Caiphas, 
Jesus, struck on thy face by a servant, 
Jesus, accused by false witnesses, 
Jesus, judged guilty of death, 
Jesus, spit upon, blindfolded and buffeted, 
34* 



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3 

M 

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C3 

03 



402 



LITANY OF THE PASSION. 



Jesus, denied thrice by Peter, 
Jesus, delivered in chains to Pilate, 
Jesus, despised and mocked by Herod, 
Jesus, postponed to Barabbas, 
Jesus, cruelly scourged with whips, 
Jesus, wounded and bruised for our sins, 
Jesus, clothed in derision with a purple garment, 
Jesus, crowned with thorns, 

Jesus, with a reed in thy hand instead of a sceptre, 
derided and insulted as a mock-king, , 

Jesus, most unjustly condemned to the ignominious 
death of the cross, 

Jesus, loaded with a heavy cross, and carrying it to 
Calvary, 

Jesus, led as an innocent lamb to slaughter, 
Jesus, nailed to a cross, and elevated upon it be- 
tween two thieves, 

Jesus, who hast loved us, and delivered thyself for 
us, as an oblation and a sacrifice to God, 

Jesus, who didst wash us from our sins in thy blood, 
Jesus, praying for thy enemies, 
Jesus, blasphemed by those who passed by, 
Jesus, promising paradise to the penitent thief, 
Jesus, giving thy Mother to St. John, for his mother, 
Jesus, amorously complaining of being forsaken by 
thy Father, 

Jesus, drenched in thy thirst with vinegar and gall, 
Jesus, recommending thy spirit into thy Father's 
hands, 

Jesus, bowing thy head, and expiring on the cross, 

Jesus, whose side was opened with a spear, whence 
issued forth blood and water, 

Jesus, taken down from the cross, wrapped up in a 
clean linen cloth, and laid in a new monument, 

Jesus, whose soul after thy death descended into hell, 

Jesus, who, in judgment, wilt demand an account of 
the profit derived from thy passion and death, 

Be merciful ; Spare us, O Lord ! 

Be merciful; Hear us, O Lord! 

From all evil, Lord Jesus, deliver us. 

From the snares of the devil, Lord Jesus, deliver us. 

Through thy most bitter passion, Lord Jesus, deliver us. 

Through thy infinite merits, Lord Jesus, deliver us. 

We sinners do beseech thee to hear us. 



PRAYER TO JESUS IN THE B. SACRAMENT. 403 



That being dead to sin, we may live to justice, we be- 
seech thee to hear us. 

That we may not glory but in thy holy cross, we beseech 
thee to hear us. 

That, for the love of thee, the world may be crucified to 
us, and we to the world, we beseech thee to hear us. 

That we may always bear about in our body thy " 
mortification, 

That we may crucify our flesh, with its vices and 
concupiscences, 

That thy sacred blood may cleanse our con- 
sciences from dead works to serve the living God, 

That being partakers of thy sufferings, we may 
be also of thy glory, 

Lamb of God, &c. 

Christ hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. 

"f. O Lord, hear our prayer. 

jfr. And let our cry come unto thee. 

LET US PRAY. 

OLORD Jesus ! who didst shed thy precious blood for 
the remission of our sins; grant, we most humbly 
beseech thee, that in the day of judgment, we may merit 
to hear from thy adorable mouth these consoling words : 
Come ye blessed of my Father, d/C. 



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My flesh is meat indeed : and my blood is drink indeed. 
He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abideth 
in me, and I in him. St. John vi 56, 57. 

A PRAYER TO JESUS IN THE BLESSED SACRA- 
MENT. 

SWEET, and adorable Jesus ! who, in the excess of 
thy love, art pleased to dwell with us in the Sacra- 
ment of the altar ; I here acknowledge thee as my Sove- 
reign and my God. I adore thee, with the most profound 
humility. I thank thee, with all my heart, for the tender- 
ness thou here showest us, in spite of the treatment thou 
receivest. Pierced with the sincerest grief, at the sight of 
our ingratitude, I come, O God of Majesty ! to make thee 
some poor amends for all the sacrileges, and the impiety, 
which were ever committed, or ever will be committed 



404 LITANY OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. 



against this adorable Sacrament. Why cannot I, O God ! 
sufficiently testify my own regret, for having so often ap- 
peared before thee with indifference, and for having ap- 
proached thee with so little fervor, and so little love? 
Forget, O Lord ! our iniquities, that thou mayest only re- 
member thy own infinite mercies. Deign to accept the 
desire I have of honoring thee in this amiable Sacrament. 
Yes, I wish with all my heart to love thee, to bless, to 
praise, and to adore thee here, as much as the Saints and 
Angels do: and I conjure thee, by this sacred Body, and 
this most precious Blood, that I may henceforth honor thee 
bo fervently, and receive thee so worthily, that after this 
Ufe, I may praise thee for ever with thy Saints in heaven. 
Amen. 

THE LITANY OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. 



I A Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ, hear us. 
Christ, graciously hear us. 
God the Father of heaven, 
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, 
God the Holy Ghost, 
Holy Trinity, one God, 

O living bread, which came down from heaven, 
O Saviour of Israel, who art truly a hidden God, 
O wheat of the elect, 
O wine, which makest virgins, 
O bread yielding dainties to kings, 



Memorial of the wonders of God, 
Supersubstantial bread, 
Word made flesh, and dwelling among us, 
Holy Victim, 
Chalice of benediction, 
Mystery of faith, 

Most high and venerable Sacrament, 
Most holy sacrifice, truly propitiatory for the living 
and the dead 




Continual sacrifice, 
Clean oblation, 
Lamb without blemish, 



2 



Food of Angels, 
Hidden manna, 



LITANY OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. 405 



Heavenly antidote, by which we are preserved from 
sin, 

Most stupendous of all miracles, 
Memorial of the most sacred passion of our Lord, 
Gift of God, exceeding all fulness, 
Singular pledge of divine love, 
Overflow of divine liberality, 
Most holy and august mystery, 
Remedy, which confers immortality, 
Awful and life-giving Sacrament, 
Bread, by the omnipotence of the Word changed 3 
into flesh, J- § 

Unbloody sacrifice, 
Our food and our guest, 

Delicious banquet, at which ministering Angels are 
present, 

Sacrament of piety, 
Bond of unity, 
Offerer and oblation, 

Spiritual sweetness, tasted in its very source, 
Reflection of holy souls, 
Viaticum of those who die in the Lord, 
Pledge of the glory to come, 
Be merciful; Spare us, O Lord. 
Be merciful ; Hear us, O Lord. 
From an unworthy receiving of thy body and blood, 
From the concupiscence of the flesh, 
From the concupiscence of the eyes, / 
From the pride of life, 
From all occasions of sin, 

By the desire, with which thou desiredst to eat this 
Pasch with thy disciples, 

By that? profound humility, which prompted thee to 
wash the feet of thy disciples, 

By that most ardent charity, which moved thee to 
institute this divine Sacrament, 

By thy most precious blood, which thou hast left to 
us on our altars, 

By the five wounds, which, for our sake, thou re- 
ceivedst in thy most sacred body, 

We sinners do beseech thee to hear us. 

That thou vouchsafe to preserve and increase in our 
hearts the reverence and devotion due to this admirable 
Sacrament, we beseech thee to hear us. 



406 



PRAYER FOR THE DEAD. 



That thou vouchsafe, by a sincere confession of our sins, 
to make us worthy of a frequent participation of the holy 
Eucharist, we beseech thee to hear us. 

That thou vouchsafe to deliver us from all heresy, per- 
fidiousness, and blindness of heart, we beseech thee to 
hear us. 

That thou vouchsafe to impart to us the precious and 
heavenly fruits of this holy Sacrament, we beseech thee to 
hear us. 

That thou vouchsafe, at the hour of our death, to 
strengthen and comfort us with this celestial viaticum, we 
beseech thee to hear us. 

Son of God, we beseech thee to hear us. 

Lamb of God, &c. 

Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. 



OGOD, who in this wonderful Sacrament hast left us 
a memorial of thy passion : grant us, we beseech thee, 
so to reverence the sacred mysteries of thy body and blood, 
that we may always find in our souls the fruit of thy re- 
demption: Who livest and reignest w T orld without end. 
Amen. 



It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, 
that they may be loosed from sins. 2 Mach. xii 46. 



A PRAYER FOR THE SOULS SUFFERING IN PUR- 



V/ of souls ! have mercy on those who suffer in purga- 
tory. Look with compassion on the greatness of their 
torments : they are more keenly devoured by their ardent 
desire of being united to thee, than by the purging flames 
wherein they are plunged. With them, I adore thy aveng- 
ing justice, and confess the equity of thy judgments. But, 
since thou art pleased favorably to hear the prayers which 
the members of thy holy Church offer to thee in behalf of 
their brethren, graciously hear the supplications which I 
now address to thee for those suffering souls. Remember, 





♦ 



/ 



LITANY FOR THE DEAD. 407 

O Lord ! thou art their Father, and they are thy children. 
Forget the faults, which, through the frailty of human 
nature, they have committed against thee, during the course 
of their mortal pilgrimage. Adorable Jesus ! victim of 
propitiation both for the living and the dead ! vouchsafe, in 
thy quality of Redeemer, to apply the merits of thy passion 
and death to the relief of those souls, whom thou punishest 
as their sovereign judge. Remember thy faithful followers 
and thy spouses. Let some drops of that precious blood, 
which thou hast shed for their salvation, flow on those de- 
vouring flames; and let the infinite price of that sacred 
blood, afford a full satisfaction for their offences. Deliver 
them, O most merciful God ! from that place of darkness 
and torture, and call them to a place of refreshment, light 
and peace. Grant them the possession of the sovereign 

food, after which they so ardently sigh, and for which thou 
ast created them. Receive them into thy paternal bosom, 
where they will praise and love thee, to all eternity. Amen. 

THE LITANY FOR THE DEAD. 

LORD, have mercy on us. 
Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. 
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on the souls of 
the faithful departed. 

God the Son, the Redeemer of the world, have mercy, &c. 
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy, &c. 
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy, &c. 
Holy Mary, pray for th°> souls, &c. 
Holy Mother of God, 
Holy Virgin of virgins, 
St. Michael, 

All ye holy Angels, and Archangels, 
St. John the Baptist, 
St. Joseph, 

All ye holy patriarchs, and prophets, 
St. Peter, 
St. Paul, 
St. John, 

All ye holy apostles, and evangelists, 
St. Stephen, 
St. Lawrence, 



CD 01 
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8-8, 



408 



LITANY FOR THE DEAD. 



All ye holy martyrs, pray for the souls of the faithful 
departed. 

St. Gregory, pray, &c. 
St. Ambrose, pray, &c. 

All ye holy bishops and confessors, pray, &c. 

St. Mary Magdalen, pray, &c. 

St. Catharine, pray, &c. 

All ye holy virgins and widows, pray, &c. 

All ye Saints of God, make intercession for the souls of 
the faithful departed. 

Be merciful ; spare them, O Lord. 

Be merciful ; hear them, O Lord. 

From all evil, 

From thy wrath, 

From the flame of fire, 

From the region of the shadow of death, 

Through thy immaculate conception, 

Through thy nativity, 

Through thy most holy name, 

Through the multitude of thy tender mercies, 

Through thy most bitter passion, 

Through thy most sacred wounds, 

Through thy most precious blood, 

Through thy ignominious death, by which thou hast 
destroyed our death, 

We sinners do beseech thee to hear us. ' 

O thou ! who didst absolve the sinner woman, and 
didst hear the prayer of the good thief, 

That thou vouchsafe to release our deceased parents, 
relations, and benefactors, from the bonds of their sins, 
and from the punishment thereof, 

That thou vouchsafe to hasten the day of visiting 
thy faithful, detained in the receptacles of sorrow, 
and transport them to the city of eternal peace, 

That thou vouchsafe to shorten the time of expia- 
tion of their sins, and graciously admit them into the 
holy sanctuary, in which no unclean thing can 
enter, 

That thou vouchsafe, through the prayers and alms 
of thy Church, and especially the inestimable sacrifice 
of thy holy altar, to receive them into the tabernacles 
of rest, and to crown their longing hopes with ever- 
lasting fruition, 

Son of God, 



LITANY FOR THE DEAD. 



409 



O Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world ! 
Give them rest. 

O Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world ! 
Give them rest. 

O Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world ! 
Give them eternal rest. 
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
ur Father, &c. 

. And lead us not into temptation ; 
But deliver us from evil. Amen. 
"J^. From the gates of hell, 
Jfr. Deliver their souls, O Lord. 
y. May they rest in peace, 
p. Amen. 

y. O Lord, hear my prayer. 

Jfc. And let my supplication come unto thee. 

LET US PRAY. 

OGOD, the Creator aud Redeemer of all the faithful ! 
give to the souls of thy servants departed, the remis- 
sion of all their sins ; that, through pious supplications, 
they may obtain the pardon which they have always de- 
sired : Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. 

OGOD, the giver of pardon, and the lover of the salva- 
tion of men ! we beseech thy clemency in behalf of 
our brethren, kinsfolks, and benefactors, who have departed 
this life ; that, by the intercession of the blessed Virgin 
Mary, and of all the Saints, thou wouldst receive them into 
the joys of thy everlasting kingdom : Through Jesus 
Christ, our Lord. Amen. 

OGOD, whose property is always to have mercy, and 
to spare ! be favorably propitious to the souls of thy 
servants and grant them the remission of all their sins ; that, 
being delivered from the bonds of this mortal life, they may 
be admitted to life everlasting : Through Jesus Christ, our 
Lord. Amen. 

35 



A PRAYER TO ST. MICHAEL. 

GLORIOUS St. Michael, prince of the heavenly host ! 
who standest always ready to give assistance to the 
people of God : who didst fight with the dragon, the old 
serpent, and didst cast him out of heaven, and now va- 
liantly defendest the Church of God, that the gates of hell 
may never prevail against her : I earnestly entreat thee to 
assist me also, in the painful and dangerous conflict which 
I have to sustain against the same formidable foe. Be 
w r ith me, mighty prince ! that I may courageously fight, 
and happily vanquish that proud dragon, whom thou hast, 
by the divine power, so gloriously overcome, and whom 
our powerful king, Jesus Christ, has, in our nature, so 
completely overthrown ; to the end, that, having triumphed 
over the enemy of my salvation, I may, with thee, and the 
holy Angels, praise the clemency of God, who, having re- 
fused mercy to the revolted Angels after their fall, has 
granted repentance and forgiveness to fallen man. 

THE LITANY OF THE HOLY ANGELS. 

LORD, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. 
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us. 
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy onus. 
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us. 
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. 
Holy Mary, queen of Angels, pray for us. 
St. Michael, who always wast the defender of the 1 
people of God, 

St. Gabriel, who wast appointed to announce the 
incarnation of the eternal Word, 

St. Raphael, the conductor of Tobias, 
Holy Seraphim, 
Holy Cherubim, 
Holy Thrones, 
Holy Dominations, 
Holy Virtues, 
Holy Powers, 
Holy Principalities, 
Holy Archangels, 
Holy Angels, 
410 



LITANY OF THE HOLY ANGELS. 411 



ye, who stand around the throne of the most " 
High God, 

O ye , who always see the face of the heavenly Father, 

O ye, to whom God has committed the care and 
guardianship of mankind, 

ye, who brought forth Lot and his family from 
the midst of the wicked, 

O ye, who ministered to Christ in the desert, when 
he had put the tempter to flight, 

O ye, who carried Lazarus into Abraham's bosom, 

ye, who often delivered the servants of God from 
prison and dangers, 

O ye, who often comforted the holy martyrs in the 
midst of torments, 

O ye, who carry up, and offer to God the prayers 
of his servants, £ 

O ye, who have joy in heaven upon one sinner's I ^ 
doing penance, | o 1 

ye, who have been set over nations, kingdoms & 
and provinces, 5° 

ye, who will attend upon Jesus Christ, when he 
comes to judge the world, 

O ye, ministering Spirits, sent to minister for those 
who shall receive the inheritance of salvation, 

O ye, Angels of the Lord, who are mighty in 
strength, and execute his word, hearkening to the 
voice of his orders, 

O ye, the hosts of the Lord, his ministers, who do 
his will, 

thou, holy Angel, my faithful guardian, 
Holy Angel, my guide and my friend, 
Holy Angel, my counsellor and powerful intercessor, 
Holy Angel, my protector and comforter, 
All ye orders of blessed Spirits, 
Be merciful unto us ; Spare us, O Lord. 
Be merciful unto us ; Hear us, O Lord. 
From all dangers, by thy holy Angels, O Lord, de- 
liver us. 

From the snares of the devil, by thy holy Angels, 
Lord, deliver us. 

From all sin, by thy holy Angels, O Lord, deliver us. 

From a sudden and unprovided death, by thy holy An- 
gels, O Lord, deliver us. 

We sinners do beseech thee to hear us. 



412 



LITANY OF LORETTO. 



Through the intercession of thy holy Angels, 
That thou spare us, 
That thou pardon us, 

That thou vouchsafe to preserve and govern thy 
holy Church, 

That thou vouchsafe to grant peace and unity to all 
Christian people, 

That thou vouchsafe to give eternal rest to all the !■ 
faithful departed, 

That thou vouchsafe to send thy holy Angels to us 
at the hour of our death, 

That thou vouchsafe, after our death, to receive our 
souls, through the hands of the Angels, into eternal 
bliss, 

Son of God, 

Lamb of God, &c. 
' f. All ye holy orders of blessed Spirits, pray for us. 

1^. That we may be made worthy of the promises of 
Christ. 

LET US PRAY. 

OGOD, who, in thy wonderful providence, hast been 
pleased to appoint thy holy Angels for our guardians ; 
mercifully hear our prayers, and grant we may rest secure 
under their protection, and enjoy their fellowship in heaven 
for ever : through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 



THE LITANY OF LORETTO. 

KYRIE eleison. ~Y ORD, have mercy on us. 

Christe eleison. _|_J Christ, have mercy on us 

Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy on us. 

Christe audi nos. Christ, hear us. 

Christe exaudi nos. Christ, graciously hear us. 

Pater de coelis Deus, mise- God the Father of heaven, 

rere nobis. h ave mercy on us. 

Fili Redemptor mundiDeus, God the Son, Redeemer of 
miserere nobis. the world, have mercy on 

us. 

Spiritus Sancte Deus, rnise- God the Holy Ghost, have 
rere nobis. mercy on us. 

Sancta Trinitas, unus Deus, Holy Trinity, one God, have 
miserere nobis. mercy on us. 

Sancta Maria, ora pro nobis. Holy Mary, pray for us. 



LITANY OF LORETTO. 



Sancta Dei genitrix, 
Sancta Virgo virginum, 
Mater Christi, 
Mater divinae gratiae, 
Mater purissima, 
Mater castissima, 
Mater inviolata, 
Mater internerata, 
Mater amabilis, 
Mater admirabilis, 
Mater Creatoris, 
Mater Salvatoris, 

Virgo prudentissima, 
Virgo veneranda, 
Virgo praedicanda, 
Virgo potens, 
Virgo clemens, 
Virgo fidelis, 
Speculum justitiae, 
Sedes sapientiae, 
Causa nostrae lastitiae, 
Vas spirituale, 
Vas honorabile, 
Vas insigne devotionis, 

Rosa mystica, 
Turris Davidica, 
Turris eburnea, 
Domus aurea, 
Foederis area, 
Janua cceli, 
Stella matutina, 
Salus infirmorum, 
Refugium peccatorum, 
Consolatrix afflictorum, 

Auxilium christiano- 
rum, 

Regina Angelorum, 
Regina patriarcharum, 
Regina prophetarum, 
Regina apostolorum, 
Regina martyrum, 



Holy mother of God, 
Holy Virgin of virgins, 
Mother of Christ, 
Mother of divine grace, 
Mother most pure, 
Mother most chaste, 
Mother undefined, 
Mother inviolate, 
Mother most amiable, 
Mother most admirable, 
Mother of our Creator, 
Mother of our* Redeem- 
er, 

Virgin most prudent, 
Virgin most venerable, 
Virgin most renowned, 
Virgin most powerful, 
Virgin most merciful, 
Virgin most faithful, 
5 Mirror of justice, 
p Seat of wisdom, 
Cause of our joy, 
Spiritual vessel, 
S Vessel of honor, 
g« Vessel of singular devo- 
tion, 
Mystical rose, 
Tower of David, 
Tower of ivory, 
House of gold, 
Ark of the covenant, 
Gate of heaven, 
Morning star, 
Health of the weak, 
Refuge of sinners, 
Comfortress of the af- 
flicted, 
Help of Christians, 

Queen of Angels, 
Queen of patriarchs, 
Queen of prophets, 
Queen of apostles, 
Queen of martyrs, 
35*. 



> © 



414 



LITANY OF THE SAINTS. 



I 



Regina confessorum, 
Regina virginum, 
Regina sanctorum om 

nium, 
Regina, sine labe con 

cepta, 

Agnus Dei, qui tollis pecca 

ta mundi, parce nobis, 

Domine. 
Agnus Dei, qui tollis pecca- 

ta mundi, exaudi nos, 

Domine. 
Agnus Dei, qui tollis pecca- 

ta mundi, miserere nobis. 

y. Ora pro nobis, sancta 

Dei genitrix, 
P. Ut digni efficiamur pro- 

missionibus Christi. 

Oremus. 

GRATIAM tuam, qus- 
sumus, Domine, menti- 
bus nostris infunde : ut qui, 
Angelo nuntiante, Christi 
Filii tui incarnationem cog- 
novimus, per passionem ejus 
et crucem ad resurrectionis 
gloriam perducamur : Per 
eumdem Christum Domin- 
um nostrum. Amen. 



Queen of confessors, 
Queen of virgins, 
Queen of all Saints, 



Queen conceived with- 
out sin, 

Lamb of God, who takest 
away the sins of the world, 
spare us, O Lord. 

Lamb of God, who takest 
away the sins of the world, 
hear us, O Lord. 

Lamb of God, who takest 
away the sins of the world, 
have mercy on us. 

J. Pray for us, O holy Mo- 
ther of God, 

p. That we may be made 
worthy of the promises of 
Christ. 

Let us pray. 

POUR forth, we beseech 
thee, O Lord, thy divine 
grace into our hearts ; that 
we, to whom the incarnation 
of Christ thy Son was made 
known by the message of an 
angel, may, by his passion 
and cross, be brought to the 
glory of his resurrection: 
Through the same Christ 
our Lord. Amen. 



THE LITANY OF THE SAINTS. 

Ant. Remember not, Lord, our offences, nor those of 
our parents, and take not revenge of our sins. 

KYRIE eleison. ~T ORD, have mercy on us. 

Christe eleison. I ^ Christ, have mercy onus. 

Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy on us. 

Christe audi nos. Christ, hear us. 



LITANY OF THE SAINTS. 



415 



o 

et 
pro 



Christe exaudi nos. 

Pater de ccelis Deus, mise- 
rere nobis. 

Fili Redemptor mundi Deus, 
miserere nobis. 

Spiritus Sancte Deus, mise- 
rere nobis. 

Sancta Trinitas unus Deus, 
miserere nobis. 

Sancta Maria, ora pro nobis. 

Sancta Dei genitrix, 

Sancta Virgo virginum, 

Sancte Michael, 

Sancte Gabriel, 

Sancte Raphael, 

Omnes sancti Angeli 
Archangeli, orate 
nobis. 

Omnes sancti beatorum Spi- 

rituum ordines, orate, &c. 
Sancte Joannes Baptista, 
Sancte Joseph, 
Omnes sancti patriarchs et 

prophetae, orate pro nobis. 
Sancte Petre, 
Sancte Paule, 
Sancte Andrea, 
Sancte Jacobe, 
Sancte Joannes, 
Sancte Thoma, 
Sancte Jacobe, 
Sancte Philippe, 
Sancte Bartholomaee 
Sancte Matthaee, 
Sancte Simon, 
Sancte Thaddaee, 
Sancte Mathia, 
Sancte Barnaba, 
Sancte Luca, 
Sancte Marce, 
Omnes sancti apostoli 

eyangelistse, orate pro no 

bis. 



N 
O 

m 

o 
cr 



et 



Christ, graciously hear us. 
God the Father of heaven, 

have mercy on us. 
God the Son, Redeemer ol 

the world, have mercy on 

us. 

God the Holy Ghost, have 

mercy on us. 
Holy Trinity, one God, have 

mercy on us. 
Holy Mary, pray for us. 
Holy Mother of God, 
Holy Virgin of virgins, 
St. Michael, 
St, Gabriel, 
St. Raphael, 
All ye holy Angels and 

Archangels, 



All ye holy orders of 

blessed Spirits, 
St. John the Baptist, 
St. Joseph, 

All ye holy patriarchs 

and prophets, 
St. Peter, 
St. Paul, 
St. Andrew, 
St. James, 
St. John, 
St. Thomas, 
St. James, 
St. Philip, 
St. Bartholomew, 
St. Matthew, 
St. Simon, 
St. Thaddeus, 
St. Matthias, 
St. Barnaby, 
St. Luke, 
St. Mark, 

All ye holy apostles and 
evangelists, 



116 



LITANY OF THE SAINTS. 



martyres, 



Omnes sancti discipuli Do- 
mini, orate pro nobis, 
Omnes sancti innocentes, 

orate pro nobis. 
Sancte Stephane, ora, &c. 
Sancte Laurenti, ora, &c. 
Sancte Vincenti, ora, &c. 
Sancti Fabiane et Sebasti- 

ane, orate pro nobis. 
Sancti Joannes et Paule, 

orate pro nobis. 
Sancti Cosma et Damiane, 

orate, &c. 
Sancti Gervasi et Protasi, 

orate, &c. 
Omnes sancti 

orate, &c. 
Sancte Sylvester, 
Sancte Gregori, 
Sancte Ambrosi, 
Sancte Augustine, 
Sancte Hieronyme, 
Sancte Martine, 
Sancte Nicolae, 
Omnes sancti pontifices 

confessores, orate, &c. 
Omnes sancti doctores, 

orate, &c. 
Sancte Antoni, ora, &c. 
Sancte Benedicte, ora, &c. 
Sancte Bernarde, ora, &c. 
Sancte Dominice, ora, &c. 
Sancte Francisce, ora, &c. 
Omnes sancti sacerdotes et 

levitee, orate, &c. 
Omnes sancti monachi 

eremitse, orate, &c. 
Sancta Maria Magda- ^ 

lena, 
Sancta Agatha, 
Sancta Lucia, 
Sancta Agnes, 
Sancta Caecilia, 
Sancta Catharina, 



et 



et 



All ye holy disciples of 

our Lord, 
All ye holy innocents, 

St Stephen, 
St. Lawrence, 
St. Vincent, 
SS. Fabian and Sebas- 
tian, 

SS. Paul and John, 

SS. Cosmas and Dami- 
an, 

SS. Gervase and Pro- 
tase, 

All ye holy martyrs, 

St. Sylvester, 

St. Gregory, 

St. Ambrose, 

St. Augustine, 

St. Jerome, 

St. Martin, 

St. Nicholas, 

All ye holy bishops and 

confessors, 
All ye holy doctors, 

St. Anthony, 
St. Bennet, 
St. Bernard, 
St. Dominic, 
St. Francis, 

Ail ye holy priests and 

levites, 
All ye holy monks and 

hermits, 
St. Mary Magdalen, 

St. Agatha. 
St. Lucy, 
St. Agnes, 
St. Cecily, 
St. Catharine, 



LITANY OF THE SAINTS. 



417 



Sancta Anastasia, ora, &c. 
Omnes sanctae virgines et 

viduas, orate, &c. 
Omnes sancti et sanctae Dei, 

intercedite pro nobis. 

Propitius esto, parce nobis, 

Domine. 
Propitius esto, exaudi nos, 

Domine. 
Ab omni malo, libera nos, 

Domine. 
Ab omni peccato, 
Ab ira tua, 

A subitanea et improvi- 

sa morte, 
Ab insidiis diaboli, 

Ab ira, et odio, et omni 

mala voluntate, 
A spiritu fornicationis, 

A fulgure et tempestate, 



A morte perpetua, 
Per mysterium sanctae 
incarnationis tuae, 

Per adventum tuum, 

Per nativitatem tuam, 

Perbaptismum et sanc- 
tum jejunium tuam, 

Per crucem et passion- 
em tuam, 

Per mortem et sepultu- 
ram tuam, 

Per sanctam resurrec- 
tionem tuam, 

Per admirabilem ascen- 
sionem tuam, 

Per adventum Spiritus 
sancti Paracliti, 

In die judicii, 



St. Anastasia, pray, &c. 

All ye holy virgins and 
widows, pray, &c. 

All ye men and women, 
Saints of God, make inter- 
cession for us. 

Be merciful unto us, spare 
us, Lord. 

Be merciful unto us, gra- 
ciously hear us, O Lord. 

From all evil, Lord de- 
liver us. 

From all sin, 

From thy wrath, 

From a sudden and un- 
provided death, 

From the deceits of the 
devil, 

From anger, hatred, and 
all ill-will, 

From the spirit of forni- 
cation, 

From lightning and 
tempest, 

From everlasting death, 

Through the mystery 
of thy holy incarna- 
tion, 

Through thy coming, 
Through thy nativity, 
Through thy baptism, 

and holy fasting, 
Through thy cross and 

passion, 
Through thy death and 

burial, 
Through thy holy re- 
surrection, 
Through thy admirable 

ascension, 
Through i he coming of 

the Holy Ghost, the 

Comforter, 
In the day of judgment, . 



418 



LITANY OF THE SAINTS. 



Peccatores, te rogamus, audi 
nos. 

Ut nobis parcas, 

Ut nobis indulge as, 

Ut ad veram pceniten- 
tiam nos perdueere 
digneris, 

Ut Ecclesiam tuam 
sanctam regere et 
conservare digneris, 

Ut domnum Apostoli- 
cum et omnes ecclesi- 
a3ticos ordines in 
sancta religione con- 
servare digneris, 

Ut inimicos sanctae P]c- 
clesiae humiliare dig- 
neris, 

Ut regibus et principi- 
bus Christianispacem 
et veram concordiam 
donare digneris, 

Ut cuncto populo Chris- 
tiano pacem et unita- 
tem largiri digneris, 

Ut nosmetipsos in tuo 
sancto servitio confor- 
tare et conservare dig- 
neris, 

Ut mentes nostras ad 
ccelestia desideria eri- 
gas. 

Ut omnibus benefactori- 
bus nostris sempiterna 
bona retribuas, 

Ut animas nostras, fra- 
trum, propinquorum, 
et benefactorum nos- 
trorum, ab aeterna 
damnatione eripias, 

Ut fructus terrae dare et 
conservare digneris, . 

Ut omnibus fidelibus de- 



cs 

OQ 



5 

O 



We sinners do beseech 

to hear us. 
That thou spare us, 
That thou pardon us, 
That thou vouchsafe to 
bring us to true pen- 
ance, 

That thou vouchsafe to 
govern and preserve 
thy holy Church, 

That thou vouchsafe to 
preserve our apostolic 
prelate, and all eccle- 
siastical orders in holy 
religion, 

That thou vouchsafe to 
humble the enemies 
of the holy Church, 

That thou vouchsafe to 
give peace and true 
concord to Christian 
kings and princes, 

That thou vouchsafe to 
grant peace and unity 
to all Christian people, 

That thou vouchsafe to 
confirm and preserve 
us in thy holy ser- 
vice, 

That thou lift up our 
minds to heavenly 
desires, 

That thou render eter- 
nal good things to all 
our benefactors, 

That thou deliver our 
souls, and those of our 
brethren, kinsfolks, 
and benefactors, from 
eternal damnation, 

That thou vouchsafe to 
give and preserve the 
fruits of the earth, 

That thou vouchsafe to 



thee 



LITANY OF THE SAINTS. 



419 



functis requiem seternam" 
donare digneris, te, &c. 

Et nos exaudire digneris, 
te, &c. 

Fili Dei, te, &c. 

Agnus Dei, qui tollis pec- 
cata mundi, parce nobis 
Domine. 

Agnus Dei, qui tollis pec- 
cat a mundi, exaudi nos 
Domine. 

Agnus Dei, qui tollis pec- 
cata mundi, miserere no- 
bis. 

Christe, audi nos. Christe, 
exaudi nos. Kyrie elei- 
son. Christe eleison. 
Kyrie eleison. Pater 
noster, secreto. 

"f. Et ne nos inducas in 
tentationem. 

Sed libera nos a malo. 



give eternal rest to all the 
faithful departed, we, &c. 

That thou vouchsafe gra- 
ciously to hear us, we, &c. 

Son of God, we, &c. 

Lamb of God, who takest 
away the sins of the world, 
spare us, O Lord. 

Lamb of God, who takest 
away the sins of the world, 
graciously hear us,0 Lord. 

Lamb of God, who takest 
away the sins of the world, 
have mercy on us. 

Christ, hear us. Christ, gra- 
ciously hear us. Lord, 
have mercy on us. Christ, 
have mercy on us. Lord, 
have mercy on us. Our 
Father, in an under tone, 
y. And lead us not into 

temptation. 

But deliver us from evil. 



DEUS, in adjutorium me- 
um intende : *Domine, 
ad adjuvandum me festina. 

Confundantur et revere an - 
tur, *qui quaerunt animam 
meam : 

Avertantur retrorsum, et 
erubescant, *qui volunt mihi 
mala : 

Avertantur statim erube- 
scentes, * qui dicunt mihi : 
Euge, euge. 

Exultent et laetentur in te 
omnes qui quaerunt te, * et 
dicant semper : Magnificetur 
Dominus ; qui diligunt salu- 
tare tuum. 



lxix. 

OGOD, come to my as- 
sistance ; *0 Lord, 
make haste to help me. 

Let them be confounded 
and ashamed *that seek my 
soul : 

Let them be turned back- 
ward, and blush for shame 
*that desire evils to me : 

Let them be presently 
turned away blushing for 
shame *that say to me : 'Tis 
well, 'tis welL 

Let all that seek thee re- 
joice and be glad in thee ; 
*and let such as love thy 
salvation say always : The 
Lord be magnified. 



420 LITANY OF 

Ego vero egenus et pauper 
sum : * Deus, adjuva me. 

Adjutor meus et liberator 
meus es tu : * Domine, ne 
moreris. 

Gloria Patri, &c. 

y. Salvos fac servos tuos. 

Ifi. Deus meus, sperantes 
in te. 

y. Esto nobis, Domine, 
turris fortitudinis. 
J^fc. A facie inimici. 

Nihil pronciat inimicus 
in nobis. 

fy. Et filius iniquitatisnon 
apponat nocere nobis. 

~f. Domine, non secun- 
dum peccata nostra facias 
nobis. 

1^. Neque secundum ini- 
quitates nostras retribuas 
nobis. 

y. Oremus pro pontiflce 
nostro N, 

Ifr. Dominus conservet 
eum, et vivificet earn, et 
beatum faciat eum in terra, 
et non tradat eum in animam 
inimicorum ejus. 

remus pro benefac- 
toribus nostris. 

Retribuere dignare, 
Domine, omnibus nobis bona 
facientibus, propter nomen 
tuum,vit am astern am, Amen. 

Oremus pro fidelibus 
defunctis. 

I£. Requiem aeternam dona 
eis, Domine : et lux perpetua 
luceat eis. 

~f. Requiscant in pace. 

P. Amen. 



HE SAINTS. 

But I am needy and poor ; 
*0 God, help me. 

Thou art my helper and 
my deliverer: *0 Lord, 
make no delay. 

Glory be to the Father, &c. 

Y. Save thy servants. 

1^. Trusting in thee, my 
God. 

y. Be unto us, O Lord, a 
tower of strength. 

V 6 - From the face of the 
enemy. 

"f. Let not the enemy pre- 
vail against us at all. 

9*. Nor the son of iniquity 
have any power to hurt us. 

Y. O Lord, deal not with 
us according to our sins. 

fy. Neither reward us ac- 
cording to our iniquities. 

'f'. Let us pray for our 
chief bishop, N. 

ty. The Lord preserve 
him, and give him life, and 
make him blessed upon 
earth, and deliver him not 
to the will of his enemies. 

y. Let us pray for our 
benefactors. 

Vouchsafe, O Lord, for 
thy name's sake, to rew-ard 
with eternal life all those 
w T ho have done us good, 
Amen. 

if. Let us pray for the 
faithful departed. 

Ifr. Eternal rest give them, 
O Lord ; and let perpetual 
light shine upon them. 

May they rest in peace. 

p. Amen. 



LITANY OF THE SAINTS. 421 



'f r . Pro fratribus nostris 
absent i bus. 

p. Salvos fac servos tuos, 
Dens meus, sperantes in te. 

y. Mitte eis, Domine, aux- 
ilium de sancto. 

P. Et de Sion tuere eos. 

Domine, exaudi oratio- 
nem meam. 

9. Et clamor meus ad te 
veniat. 



~J^. For our absent breth- 
ren. 

9- O my God, save thy 
servants trusting in thee. 

J. Send them help, O 
Lord, from thy holy place. 

9- And from Sion protect 
them. 

O Lord, hear my 

prayer. 

9- And let my cry come 
unto thee. 



LET US PRAY. 

OGOD, whose property is always to have mercy, and 
to spare, receive our petition ; that we, and all thy 
servants who are bound by the chains of sin, may, by the 
compassion of thy goodness, be mercifully absolved. 

HEAR, we beseech thee, Lord, the prayers of thy 
suppliants, and pardon the sins of them that confess 
to thee ; that, in thy bounty, thou mayest give us pardon 
and peace. 

OUT of thy clemency, O Lord, show thy unspeakable 
mercy to us : that so thou mayest both acquit us of 
our sins, and deliver us from the punishments we deserve 
for them. 

OGOD, who by sin art offended, and by penance paci- 
fied, mercifully regard the prayers of thy people 
making supplication to thee, and turn away the scourges 
of thy anger, which we deserve for our sins. 

ALMIGHTY and Eternal God, have mercy on thy 
servant, N., our chief bishop, and direct him accord- 
ing to thy clemency, into the way of everlasting salvation ; 
that, by thy grace, he may desire those things that are 
agreeable to thee, and perform them with all his strength. 

OGOD, from whom are all holy desires, right counsels, 
and just works, give to thy servants that peace which 
the world cannot give ; that our hearts may be disposed to 
keep thy commandments, and the fear of enemies being 
removed, the times, by thy protection, may be peaceable. 



422 ON THE ANGELICAL SALUTATION. 



INFLAME, O Lord, our reins and hearts with the fire 
of thy holy spirit, that we may serve thee with chaste 
bodies, and please thee with clean hearts. 

OGOD, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, 
give to the souls of thy servants departed, the remis- 
sion of all their sins; that, through pious supplications, 
they may obtain the pardon which they have always de- 
sired. 

PREVENT, we beseech thee, O Lord, our actions by 
thy holy inspirations, and carry them on by thy gra- 
cious assistance ; that every prayer and work of ours may 
begin always from thee, and by thee be happily ended. 

ALMIGHTY and Eternal God, who hast dominion 
over the living and the dead, and art merciful to all 
whom thou foreknowest shall be thine by faith and good 
works ; we humbly beseech thee, that they, for whom we 
have determined to offer up our prayers, whether this world 
still detains them in the llesh, or the world to come has 
already received them out of their bodies, may, by the 
clemency of thy goodness, all thy Saints interceding for 
them, obtain pardon and full remission of all their sins : 
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, who liveth and 
reigneth, one God with thee, and the Holy Ghost, world 
without end. Amen. 

y. O Lord, hear my prayer. 

And let my cry come unto thee. 
y. May the Almighty and most merciful Lord graciously 
hear us. 
Jfr. Amen. 

y. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through 
the mercy of God, rest in peace. 
Jpfc. Amen. 

» 

ON THE ANGELICAL SALUTATION. 

THE Angelical Salutation, or the Hail Mary, is a form 
of prayer, used universally throughout the whole 
Church, in honor of the glorious mystery of the incarna- 
tion of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of his ever-blessed 
Mother, to beg the help of her prayers. 



ON THE ANGELICAL SALUTATION. 423 



This prayer is principally composed of the very words 
of Scripture, in which we find that it was brought from 
heaven, and dictated by the Holy Ghost. 

It contains three parts : the first part is the same congratu- 
latory address which the Angel Gabriel made to the Blessed 
Virgin, and brought with him from heaven ; for, when com- 
missioned by the Most High God, as his ambassador, to 
announce to her the great mystery of the Incarnation, and, 
that she was the happy one, who was chosen to be the 
Mother of God made man, being come into her presence, he 
said to her : Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee : 
Blessed art thou among women. St. Luke i 28. These 
words contain the most exalted praises of this holy Virgin, 
and show her great sanctity, being full of grace ; the high 
esteem and immense love which God had for her, that 
made him be with her in so singular a manner ; the Lord 
is with thee ; and the inconceivable dignity of being the 
Mother of God, to which she was chosen, and which made 
her blessed among women ; that is, blessed above all women, 
or, the blessed one among women, since all the blessings 
that ever any woman had received, or was afterwards to 
receive from God, were nothing to the favors bestowed on 
Mary. 

The second part is the salutation, with which St. Eliza- 
beth received the Blessed Virgin into her house, when she 
came to visit her : of this the Scripture says, that when 
Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaved, in 
her womb : and Elizabeth was filed with the Holy Ghost : 
and she cried out with a loud voice, and said : Blessed art 
thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 
And whence is this to me, that the Mother of my Lord should 
come to me ? St. Luke i 41, 42, 43. Here we see that St. 
Elizabeth, by inspiration of the Holy Ghost, was immedi- 
ately instructed in the great mystery of the Incarnation, on 
hearing the voice of Mary ; and being in a rapture of 
amazement at that glorious object, and at the immense 
dignity to which her cousin was exalted on that account, 
broke out into that divine salutation which the Holy Ghost 
dictated to her, and said : Blessed art thou among women, 
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. These words are a 
continuation of what was spoken before by the Angel Ga- 
briel, for St. Elizabeth first resumes the last words of the 
Angel, saying, blessed art thou among women, thereby de- 
claring the exalted dignity to which the Blessed Virgin 



424 ON THE ANGELICAL SALUTATION. 



was raised above all other women : and then she immedi- 
ately adds, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb ; announcing 
by that expression the praises of Jesus Christ, as the 
source and origin of all the sanctity and greatness of his 
Virgin Mother ; and consequently showing that all the 
praises and veneration given to her by the Angel Gabriel, 
or by herself (St. Elizabeth), at that time, and afterwards 
to be given her by the Church of Christ, throughout all 
generations, upon account of her great sanctity and eminent 
dignity, are all ultimately referred to her adorable Son 
Jesus, the Author and Fountain of all her sanctity and of 
all her greatness, by being made man for our salvation in 
her sacred womb. 

The third part has been added by the Church of Christ, 
with whom he promised that the Holy Ghost should abide 
for ever, and teach her all truth ; guiding and conducting 
her in every thing belonging to his holy worship, according 
to his good pleasure. This chaste and ever faithful spouse 
of Jesus Christ, admiring and adoring the sacred mystery 
of the Incarnation, the origin and source of all good toman, 
and desirous of adding to what the Angel Gabriel and St. 
Elizabeth had said in its praises, proceeds in the same 
strain with them, and first declares the sanctity and dig- 
nity of Mary, by pronouncing her holy ; which expression 
she thus applied to her, to indicate her high perfection, her 
union with God, and her exalted dignity ; and then, to 
show whence all her sanctity and dignity proceed, she pro- 
nounces her Mother of God. showing that the sacred fruit 
of her womb, whom St. Elizabeth so highly praised, is no 
other than God himself, and that the inconceivable dignity, 
to which the Blessed Virgin was raised, was to be the 
mother of the great eternal God who made himself man in 
her sacred womb, and of her most pure blood, for the sal- 
vation of mankind. Lastly, as if astonished at the amazing 
dignity contained in these words, Mother of God, she 
humbly addresses herself to that sacred personage, and 
begs the help of her powerful prayers for herself and for 
all her children, saying, pray for us sinners, now, and at 
the hour of our death. Amen. 

The Church warmly recommends to her children the 
frequent use of this prayer, because she considers the In- 
carnation of God the Son, as one of the greatest mysteries 
of the Christian religion ; a mystery which requires from 
us a continual return of gratitude and praise. 



ON THE AXGELICAL SALUTATION. 425 



It is the first step which the divine goodness was pleased 
to take in the great work of our redemption, and without 
which that great work was not to be performed : for if our 
Saviour had not been man, he could not have suffered for 
us ; and if he had not been God, his sufferings could not 
have availed us. It is therefore the source, the origin, the 
fountain of our redemption ; It contains in itself the whole 
mystery of our redemption : because the very moment it 
was performed, our incarnate Saviour clearly saw all that 
he had to do and suffer, in his human nature, for our sal- 
vation; and in perfect obedience to the will of his heavenly 
Father, he embraced the whole work which he had to per- 
form, with the most endearing love for us, and offered him- 
self a sacrifice to the divine justice for our sins ; for, the 
moment he came into the world, addressing himself to his 
Father, he saith : Sacrifice and oblation thou wouldst not ; 
but a body thou hast fitted to me; holocausts for sin did not 
please thee. Then said I : Behold, I come : in the head of 
the book it is written of me, thai I should do thy will , God. 
Heb. x 5. 6, ?. Hence it is the most endearing proof of the 
love of God to man, of wmich our Saviour himself says : 
God so loved the world as to give his only begotten Son : 
that whosoever believ eth in him, may not perish, but may have 
life everlasting ; for God sent his So?i into the world, — that 
the vjorld might be saved by him. St. John iii 16, 17. 

For these reasons, the Church has nothing more at heart, 
than that her children should always retain the most 
grateful sense of this adorable mystery ; and to keep them 
in continual remembrance of it, when it is mentioned, 
during the holy mysteries, in the creed, and in St. John's 
gospel at the end of Mass, she requires both priest and 
people to testify their veneration of that sacred mystery, 
by kneeling and adoring God on that account. "Seeing 
therefore that the Hail JIary, or Angelical Salutation, is a 
prayer dictated by the Holy Ghost in honor of the Son of 
God made man, and also of his Virgin Mother, the Church 
most earnestly desires, that her children should frequently 
use it, and warmly exhorts them to do so. The Church 
manifests this her desire to her children in several different 
ways ; for, as our Saviour expressly commands us, when 
we pray, to make use of that most excellent of all prayers, 
the Lord's Prayer, which he himself taught us, and left 
recorded in his sacred Gospel: You, therefore, shall pray 
in this manner : Our Father, $c. : (St. Matt, vi 9 :) and in 



426 



OF THE ANGELUS DOMINI. 



another gospel, he said to them : When you pray, say : 
Father, fyc. : (St. Luke xi 2 :) so the Church exhorts all her 
children, in their daily prayers to God, after the Lord's 
Prayer, immediately to add the Hail Mary ; both to pay 
this daily homage to the mystery of our Incarnate God, 
and also that, through the merits of this great mystery, 
and the intercession of his Virgin Mother, our prayers may 
find a more ready acceptance with God, and bring down a 
more ample benediction on our souls. Hence the universal 
practice, which we are taught by our pastors in our earliest 
years, with the Christian doctrine. The Church herself, 
in the seven canonical hours of public prayer, which is 
daily performed by all her clergy, observes the same prac- 
tice ; for, six of these hours begin with the Lord's Prayer, 
which is immediately followed by the Hail Mary : and 
the hour of Complin, which is the last, and, as it were, an 
appendix to the whole at the close of the day, ends in the 
same manner. She shows the same desire, by her gene- 
ral practice throughout the whole world, in the daily repe- 
tition of the Angelus Domini, and the great encouragement 
she gives to all her children, to use that pious exercise. 
Lastly, the same appears from her warm recommendation 
to use the celebrated devotion of the rosary, and the encou- 
ragement she gives to practice that devotion. 

» ♦ 

OF THE ANGELUS DOMINI. 

THE Angelus Domini, so called from the words with 
which it begins in the Latin language, is a form of 
prayer particularly designed to commemorate with grati- 
tude and praise the mystery of the Incarnation, and to 
pray to God for eternal salvation through the merits of our 
Incarnate Saviour. It consists of three sentences, taken 
chiefly from the words of the Scripture, which contain an 
abridgment of the history of the Incarnation. After each 
of these, is said the Hail Mary, in praise of that great mys- 
tery ; and it ends with a prayer for the above purpose. 
This pious exercise is universally practised. The church 
bells toll three times a day, in the morning, at noon, and 
about sunset, by which all the people are warned, whatever 
they are doing, to stop their employment for a moment, 
and give praise to God by repeating the Angelus Domini. 



ON THE ROSARY. 



427 



The Church gives great encouragement to be faithful to 
this pious exercise, as appears by her general public prac- 
tice, which we have just observed ; and also, because 
several Popes have grained many spiritual favors and in- 
dulgences to those who daily and devoutly practise it, 
when the public signal is given. (See p. 58.) 



ON THE HOSARY. 

THE Rosary is a religious form of prayer, addressed to 
Almighty God, the supreme object of all religious wor- 
ship, in commemoration of the principal mysteries of our 
redemption, in thanksgiving and praise to Jesus Christ for 
all he did, and suffered in them for us, and in honor of his 
ever blessed Virgin Mother, considering the share she had 
in them. It is offered up to God in a particular manner, 
under her patronage, and through her intercession.* 

On this pious exercise, the Rev. Alban Butler, in his 
Lives of the Saints, October 1st, writes as follows: It is 
an abridgment of the Gospel, a history of the life, suffer- 
ings and triumphant victory of Jesus Christ, and an expo- 
sition of what he did in the flesh, which he assumed for 
our salvation. It ought certainly to be the principal object 
of the devotion of every Christian, always to bear in mind 
these holy mysteries, to return to God a perpetual homage 
of love, praise and thanksgiving for them, to implore his 
mercy through them, to make them the subject of his as- 
siduous meditation, and to mould his affections, regulate 
his life, and form his spirit, by the holy impressions which 
they make on his soul. The Rosary is a method of doing 
this, most easy in itself, and adapted to the slowest and 
meanest capacity; and, at the same time, most sublime 
and faithful in the exercise of the highest acts of prayer, 
contemplation, and all interior virtues. It is composed of 
three prayers, the most sublime and excellent that can be 
conceived; namely, the Lord's Prayer, the Hail Mary, 
and the Doxology. which is an act of supreme adoration of 
the ever blessed Trinity. The Lord's' Prayer, taught us 
by Jesus Christ himself, is a perfect model of prayer : it 
contains in itself the very essence of all good prayers, and 



* This devotion was introduced by St. Dominic, about 
the beginning of the thirteenth century. 



423 



ON THE ROSARY. 



all other prayers are but expositions of it ; for, as St. Au- 
gustine justly observes, 11 If you run through all the words 
of the other holy prayers, you will find nothing but what 
is comprised in it." It contains, at the same time, acts of 
the most sublime virtues, the love of God, adoration and 
praise, conformity to his holy will, confidence in his fa- 
therly goodness, love of our neighbor, humility, diffidence 
in ourselves, compunction for our sins, and the like ; and 
surely no prayer can be more pleasing to God, or more 
efficacious to obtain from him whatever we stand in need 
of, either for soul or body, than that which was composed 
by Jesus Christ himself, and put into our hearts and 
mouths by him, in whom the Father is well pleased. 
What other words can be so pleasing to our heavenly Fa- 
ther, as the words of his beloved Son, in whom alone he 
has decreed thai we can be acceptable to him ? It is, then, 
more especially agreeable to God, and beneficial to us, 
when offered up in this holy exercise of the Rosary, ex- 
pressly to honor and adore our Redeemer in all he did and 
suffered for our redemption, and to implore his mercy and 
grace, through the merits of 'these holy mysteries. The 
divine origin and excellence of the Hail Mary, is unques- 
tionable ; it was composed in heaven, dictated by the Holy 
Ghost, and delivered to the faithful by the Angel Gabriel, 
St. Elizabeth and the Church of Christ. It contains an 
act of adoration, and thanksgiving for the great mystery 
of the incarnation, and in it, for the whole work of our re- 
demption, the praises of Jesus Christ, and also of his Vir- 
gin Mother, and ends with an humble address to her, 
begging the help of her powerful prayers. The Doxology, 
or third prayer used in the Rosary, is an act of supreme 
adoration of the ever blessed Trinity, by which we offer 
up to God all that praise and glory, which was given him 
at the beginning of the creation, which has been continu- 
ally given him from that time, and which will be given 
him for all eternity. It is thus expressed, " Glory be to 
the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it 
was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world 
without end. Amen. ' From the sanctity of the prayers, 
of which this holy exercise is composed, the excellence of 
the exercise itself appears. 

The principal mysteries of our redemption, which are 
celebrated in this exercise, are fifteen in number, and the 
prayers are divided into fifteen decades, or tens, corres- 



ON THE ROSARY. 



429 



ponding, one to each mystery. Each decade consists in 
reciting the Lord's Prayer once, then the Hail Mary ten 
times, from which it is called a decade, or a ten ; and ends, 
after these ten Hail Marys, with the Glory be to the Father, * 
&c. This is the vocal part of the Rosary, and is the same, 
throughout the whole, in every decade. Whilst the tongue 
is employed in reciting these holy vocal prayers, the mind 
has her proper employment within : for, first, she addresses 
the Lord's Prayer to God the Father, with all possible at- 
tention and devotion ; then, during the ten Hail Marys, 
she contemplates with suitable affections, that mystery of 
our redemption which corresponds to each decade ; and 
lastly, she closes the decade with the most profound sen- 
timents of homage and adoration, while reciting the doxo- 
logy. 

While we are reciting the Hail Marys, we must en- 
deavor to represent to our imagination, the substance and 
most striking circumstances of the corresponding mystery, 
in the most lively manner we can, as if we had been pre- 
sent at it, or saw it transacted before our eyes. By this 
means, we both restrain the wanderings of our imagina- 
tion, and the more effectually excite various holy affections 
in our hearts, suitable to the object of each mystery. For 
example, in reciting the first decade of the joyful myste- 
ries, imagine yourself present with the Blessed Virgin, 
when the Angel Gabriel appeared, and declared to her the 
great mystery of the incarnation ; endeavor to keep your 
mind attentive to what passed on that occasion, while you 
are reciting that decade, and exercise in your heart such 
affections of love, adoration, thanksgiving, praise, or the 
like, as will naturally arise from a lively application of the 
mind to the love, which Jesus Christ shows to you in that 
mystery. So also, in reciting the decade of the crucifixion 
and death of our Saviour, imagine yourself, as St. Francis 
of Sales advises, to be upon Mount Calvary, and that you 
there see and hear all that was done ; or, if you will, ima- 
gine with yourself, that in the very place where you are, 
they are crucifying your Saviour, in such a manner as the 
holy Evangelists describe. Contemplate the Blessed Vir- 
gin at the foot of the Cross, all bathed in tears : address 
the Hail Marys to her, standing there in an agony of sor- 
row, and exercise in your heart, such affections as the 
sight of sufferings so great naturally inspires. The same 
is to be said of all the other mysteries. It is a very good 



430 



ON THE ROSARY. 



practice, used by many, and much recommended by expe- 
rience, to express the mystery itself, on which we meditate, 
in the middle of each Hail Mary, immediately after the 
name of Jesus. This may be variously expressed accord- 
ing to each one's devotion ; and it will serve much to warm 
our affection, if, in expressing what was done in each mys- 
tery, we add that it was done for us, or for our consolation, 
or for our instruction, &c, according as the mystery itself 
requires, or admits. The following may serve as a model. 
In the joyful mysteries, let the Hail Marys of the first 
decade be said thus : " Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord 
is with thee ; blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed 
is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus who was made man for us. 
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and 
at the hour of our death. Amen.'' 1 In the second decade, 
instead of who was made man for us, say, who sanctified St. 
John the Baptist in his mother's womb for us. In the third 
decade, who was born in a stable for us. In the fourth, who 
was presented in the temple to his heavenly Father for us. 
In the fifth, who was found in the temple, doing the business 
of his Father, for our instruction. In the sorrowful myste- 
ries, for the first decade, who suffered his agony and bloody 
siveat for us. 2. Who was scourged at the pillar for us. 
3. Who was crowned with thorns for us. 4. Who carried 
his cross for us. 5. Who was crucified, and died for us. 

In the glorious mysteries, for the first decade, who rose 
from the dead for our justification. 2. Who ascended into 
heaven to prepare a place for us. 3. Who sent down his holy 
Spirit for our sanct ification. 4. Who took thee up both soul 
and body to heaven for our comfort and instruction. 5. Who 
crowned thee queen of the Saints and Angels for our consola- 
tion. The Hail Mary is repeated thus often, and the 
Lord's Prayer but once in each decade, because the main 
view of this holy exercise, is to adore our Lord Jesus 
Christ in all the mysteries of our redemption, and to honor 
his Blessed Mother, who had so great a share in them: 
now the Lord's Prayer does not formally relate to these 
sacred mysteries ; but the Hail Mary, especially with the 
additional clause, as just explained, contains nothing else, i 

We begin, however, eacn decade with the Lord's 
Prayer, to show that our intention is chiefly directed to 
the divinity, from whom every good and perfect gift de- 
scends ; and we end it with the doxology, to show that we 
offer up the whole to the glory of the adorable Trinity: 



ON THE ROSARY. 



431 



but we repeat the Hail Mary oftener, because that is the 
prayer which contains the view and intention which is 
proper to this devotion. But this does not imply that we 
honor the Blessed Virgin in this exercise more than God: 
God forbid ! such a blasphemous thought we abhor and 
detest. Indeed, the adversaries of our holy Religion lay 
this to our charge, but most unjustly ; for, though the Hail 
Mary be immediately addressed to that ever Blessed Vir- 
gin, yet it is evident, from what we have seen above in 
explaining it, that all the praises thereby given to her are. 
referred to her Divine Son, as the fountain and source of 
all her excellence ; and benediction and praise are also in 
a particular manner given to him in that expression, 
Blessed is (he fruit of thy womb, Jesus. When the woman 
in the Gospel cried out to our Saviour, in a rapture of ad- 
miration, Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the breasts 
that gave thee suck, did she praise our Saviour or his blessed 
Mother most ? Surely our Saviour, for she only pro- 
nounced her blessed, for being the Mother of such a Son : 
the case is the same here ; all the praises given to the 
Blessed Virgin in the Hail Mary are only offered, because 
she was the Mother of Jesus Christ, and consequently they 
all belong much more to him than to her. 

The Rosary, when said with proper dispositions, is a 
powerful means to obtain favors from God. What vocal 
prayers can be more acceptable to God than those which? 
are dictated and inspired by himself, and used throughout 
the whole Church ? What motives can incline him more 
to mercy than those drawn from the great mysteries of our 
redemption by Jesus Christ, in whom, and for whose sake 
alone we can receive any favor from God ? How many 
public favors, attested by the Church in her public offices, 
have been obtained by this means ! How many private 
graces are recorded to have been received from the same 
source ! St. Francis of Sales, in attestation of its efficacy, 
says: " The beads are a most profitable way of praying, 
if you know how to say them in a proper manner." And 
we find it much praised, highly recommended, and daily 
practised by the most eminent Saints in the Church of 
Christ. It has been strongly recommended to the faithful 
by many Popes, who, to encourage us to practise it, have 
granted great indulgences to those who do so. Experience 
itself will soon convince all, who apply to it in earnest, 
how powerful a means it is to obtain our petitions from the 
Almighty. 



THE ROSARY OP THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 

IN the name of the Father, &c. 
I believe in God, &c. 

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. 
R. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is 
the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. 

y . Thou, O Lord, wilt open my lips. 

R. And my tongue shall announce thy praise. 

$\ Incline unto my aid, God. 

R. O Lord, make baste to help me. 

Glory be to the Father, &c. 

Alleluia, is said at all times except from Septuagesima 
till Easter, during which period, say : 

Praise be to thee, O Lord, King of eternal glory. 

THE FIVE JOYFUL MYSTERIES.* 
I. 

THE INCARNATION. 

Let us contemplate in this Mystery, how the Angel Ga- 
briel saluted our blessed Lady, with the title of Full of 
Grace, and declared unto her the Incarnation of our Lord 
and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

Then say, Our Father, d^c, once. Hail Mary, (J-c.,ten 
times. 

When the Hail Mary has been repeated a tenth time, 
the decade finishes with Glory be to the Father, fyc, then 
follows the prayer.t 

LET US PRAY. 

OHOLY Mary, Queen of Virgins ; by the most 
high mystery of the Incarnation, of thy beloved 

* The five Mysteries of the first part, called Joyful, are 
to be said on all Mondays and Thursdays, the Sundays of 
Advent, and after Epiphany till Lent. 

t This method is to be observed in each part of the 
Rosary. 

432 



ROSARY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 433 



Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, by which our salvation 
was so happily begun, obtain for us, by thy interces- 
sion, light to know this so great a benefit which he 
hath bestowed upon us ; vouchsafing in it to make 
himself our brother, and thee, (his own most beloved 
mother,) our mother also. Amen. 

IT. 

THE VISITATION. 

Let us contemplate in this Mystery, how the Blessed 
Virgin Mary, understanding from the Angel that her 
cousin, St. Elizabeth, had conceived, went with haste into 
the mountains of Judea, to visit her, and remained with her 
three months. Our Father; <§-c. 

LET US PRAY. 

OHOLY Virgin, most spotless mirror of humility ; 
by that exceeding charity, which moved thee to 
visit thy holy cousin St. Elizabeth, obtain for us, by 
thy intercession, that our hearts may be so visited by 
thy most holy Son, that being free from all sin, we 
may praise him and give him thanks for ever. Amen. 

m 

THE BIRTH OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, IN 
BETHLEHEM. 

Let us contemplate in this Mystery, how the Blessed 
Virgin Mary, when the time of her delivery was come, 
brought forth our Redeemer Christ Jesus at midnight, and 
laid him in a manger ; because there was no room for him 
in the inns at Bethlehem. Our Father, fyc. 

LET US PRAY. 

OMOST pure Mother of God, by thy virginal and 
most joyful delivery, in which thou gavest unto 
the world thy only Son, our Saviour, we beseech thee 
to obtain for us, by thy intercession, grace to lead so 
pure and holy lives in this world, that we may wor- 



434 ROSARY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 

thily sing without ceasing", both day and night, the 
mercies of thy Son, and his benefits to us by thee. 
Amen, 

IV. 

THE OBLATION OF OUR BLESSED LORD IN THE 
TEMPLE. 

Let us contemplate in this Mystery, how the most 
Blessed Virgin Mary, on the day of her purification, pre- 
sented the child Jesus in the temple, where holy Simeon, 
giving thanks to God with great devotion, received him 
into his arms. Our Father, fyc. 

LET US PRAY. 

OHOLY Virgin, most adorable mistress and pat- 
tern of obedience, who didst present in the temple 
the Lord of the temple ; obtain for us of thy beloved 
Son, that, with holy Simeon and devout Anna, we 
may praise and glorify him for ever. Amen. 

V. 

THE FINDING OF THE CHILD JESUS IN THE TEMPLE. 

Let us contemplate in this Mystery, how the blessed 
Virgin Mary, having lost, without any fault, of hers, her 
beloved Son in Jerusalem, she sought him for the space of 
three days, and at length found him the third day in the 
temple, in the midst of the doctors, disputing with them, 
being of the age of twelve years. Our Father, d/c. 

LET US PRAY. 

MOST Blessed Virgin, more than Martyr in thy 
sufferings, and yet the comfort of such as are 
afflicted ; by that unspeakable joy, wherewith thy soul 
was ravished, in finding thy beloved Son in the temple, 
in the midst of the doctors, disputing with them, 
obtain of him for us, so to seek him, and to find him 
in the Holy Catholic Church, that we may never be 
separated from him. Amen. 



ROSARY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 435 
SALVE RE GIN A. 

HAIL, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our 
sweetness, and our hope ! to thee we cry, poor 
banished children of Eve; to thee we send up our 
sighs, mourning and weeping, in this valley of tears. 
Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thy eyes of mercy 
towards us, and after this our exile is ended, show 
unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus : 
clement, O pious, sweet Virgin Mary, 
y. Pray for us, holy Mother of God. 
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises 
of Christ. 



GOD, whose only begotten Son, by his life, 



rewards of eternal life ; grant, we beseech thee, that 
meditating upon those mysteries, in the most holy 
Rosary of the blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate 
what they contain, and obtain what they promise: 
Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. 



THE FIVE DOLOROUS MYSTERIES.* 
I. 

THE PRAYER AND BLOODY SWEAT OF OUR BLESSED 
SAVIOUR IN THE GARDEN. 

Let us contemplate in this Mystery, how our Lord Jesus 
was so afflicted for us in the garden of Gefhsemani, that 
his body was bathed in a bloody sweat, which ran trick- 
ling down in great drops to the ground. 

Our Father, d/c. Hail Mary, d/C, Glory he to the Father, 
$c, as before. 

* These five mysteries of the second part, called dolorous 
or sorrowful, are to be said on Tuesdays and Fridays 
throughout the year, and Sundays in Lent. 



LET US PRAY. 




purchased for us the 



486 ROSARY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 



LET US PRAY. 

MOST holy Virgin, more than martyr ; by that 
ardent prayer which thy most beloved Son 
poured forth unto his Father in the garden, vouchsafe 
to intercede for us, that our passions being reduced to 
the obedience of reason, we may always, and in all 
things, conform and subject ourselves to the will of 
God. Amen, 

II. 

THE SCOURGING OF OUR BLESSED LORD AT THE 
PILLAR. 

Let us contemplate in this Mystery, how our Lord Jesus 
Christ was most cruelly scourged in Pilate's house, the 
number of stripes they gave him being about five thousand 
(as it was revealed to St. Bridget.) Our Father, §c. 

LET US PRAY. 

MOTHER of God, overflowing fountain of 
patience ; by those stripes, thy only and most 
beloved Son, vouchsafed to suffer for us, obtain of him 
for us, grace, that we may know how to mortify our 
rebellious senses, and cut or? all occasions of sinning, 
with that sword of grief and compassion, which pierced 
thy most tender soul. Amen. 

III. 

THE CROWNING OF OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR WITH 
THORNS. 

Let us contemplate in this Mystery, how those cruel 
ministers of Satan platted a crown of sharp thorns, and 
most cruelly pressed it on the sacred head of our Lord Jesus 
Christ. Our Father, <$-c. 

LET US PRAY. 

MOTHER of our eternal Prince and King of 
glory ; by those sharp thorns, wherewith his 
most holy head was pierced, we beseech thee, that, by 



ROSARY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 437 

thy intercession, we may be delivered here from all 
motions of pride, and, in the day of judgment, from 
that confusion which our sins deserve. Amen. 

IV. 

JESUS CARRYING HIS CROSS. 

Let us contemplate in this Mystery, how our Lord Jesus 
Christ, being sentenced to die, bore with the most amaz- 
ing patience the cross, which was laid upon him for his 
greater torment and ignominy. Our Father, fyc. 

LET US PRAY. 

OHOLY Virgin, example of patience ; by the most 
painful carrying of the cross, in which thy Son, 
our Lord Jesus Christ, bore the heavy weight of our 
sins, obtain of him for us, by thy intercession, courage 
and strength to follow his steps, and bear our cross 
after him to the end of our lives. Amen. 

V. 

THE CRUCIFIXION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. 

Let us contemplate in this Mystery, how our Lord and 
Saviour Jesus Christ, being come to Mount Calvary, was 
stript of his clothes, and his hands and feet most cruelly 
nailed to the cross, in the presence of his most afflicted 
Mother. Our Father, fyc. 

LET US PRAY. 

OHOLY Mary, Mother of God, as the body of 
thy beloved Son was for us extended on the cross, 
so may our desires be daily more and more stretched 
out in his service, and our hearts wounded with com- 
passion of his most bitter passion. And thou, O most 
Blessed Virgin, graciously vouchsafe to help us to 
accomplish the work of our salvation, by thy powerful 
intercession. Amen. 

Hail, holy Queen, $-c, with the verse and prayer as be- 
fore, at page 435. 

37* 



438 ROSARY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 



THE FIVE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES.* 

i 

THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST FROM THE DEAD. 

Let us contemplate in this Mystery, how our Lord Jesus 
Christ, triumphing gloriously over death, rose again the 
third day, immortal and impassible. 

Our Father, fyc. Hail Mary, fyc. Glory be to the Father, 
cj-c, as before. 

LET US PRAY. 

O GLORIOUS Virgin Mary, by that unspeakable 
joy thou receivedst in the resurrection of thy only 
Son, we beseech thee, obtain of him for us, that our 
hearts may never go astray after the false joys of this 
world, but may be ever and wholly employed in the 
pursuit of the only true and solid joys of heaven. 
Amen, 

II. 

THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST INTO HEAVEN. 

Let us contemplate in this Mystery, how our Lord Jesus 
Christ, forty days after his resurrection, ascended into 
heaven, attended by Angels, in the sight of his most holy 
Mother, his holy apostles and disciples, to the great admira- 
tion of them all. Our Father, $c. 

LET US PRAY. 

MOTHER of God, comfort of the afflicted ; as 
thy beloved Son, when he ascended into heaven, 
lifted up his hands, and blessed his apostles; so 
vouchsafe, most holy Mother, to lift up thy pure 
hands to him for us, that we may enjoy the benefit of 
his blessing, and thine here on earth, and hereafter in 
heaven. Amen. * 

* These Mysteries are assigned for Wednesdays and 
Saturdays throughout the year, and Sundays from Easter 
until Advent. 



ROSARY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 439 



III. 

THE COMING OF THE HOLY GHOST TO HIS DIS- 
CIPLES. 

Let us contemplate in this Mystery, how our Lord Jesus 
Christ, being seated on the right hand of God, sent, as he 
had promised, the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles, who, 
after he was ascended, returned to Jerusalem, and con- 
tinued in prayer and supplication with the blessed Virgin 
Mary, expecting the performance of his promise. Our 
Father, $c. 

LET TJS PRAY. 

SACRED Virgin, tabernacle of the Holy Ghost; 
we beseech thee, obtain by thy intercession, that 
this most sweet comforter, whom thy beloved Son 
sent down upon his Apostles, filling them thereby 
with a spiritual joy, may teach us, in this world, the 
true way of salvation, and make us walk in the path 
of virtue and good works. Amen. 

IV. 

THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY 
INTO HEAVEN. 

Let us contemplate in this Mystery, how the glorious 
Virgin Mary, after the resurrection of her Son, passed out 
of this world unto him, and was by him assumed into 
heaven, accompanied by the holy Angels. Our Father, §-c. 

LET US PRAY. 

OMOST prudent Virgin, who, entering into the 
heavenly palace, didst fill the holy Angels with 
joy, and man with hope; vouchsafe to intercede for 
us in the hour of death, that, free from the illusions 
and temptations of the devil, we may joyfully and 
successfully pass out of this temporal state to enjoy 
the happiness of eternal life. Amen. 



440 



THE LIVING ROSARY. 



V. 

THE CORONATION OF THE MOST BLESSED VIRGIN 
MARY IN HEAVEN. 

Let us contemplate in this Mystery, how the glorious 
Virgin Mary was. with great jubilee and exultation of the 
whole court of heaven, and particular glory of all the 
Saints, crowned by her Son with the brightest diadem of 
glory. Our Father, (J-c. 

LET US PRAY. 

GLORIOUS Queen of all the heavenly Citi- 
zens, we beseech thee, accept this Rosary, which, 
as a crown of roses, we offer at thy feet; and grant, 
most gracious Lady, that by thy intercession, our 
souls may be inflamed with so ardent a desire of see- 
ing thee so gloriously crowned, that it may never die 
in us, until it shall be changed into the happy fruition 
of thv blessed sisfht. Amen. 

HaiL holy Queen, $<c, with the verse and prayer a9 be- 
fore, at page 435. 

♦ 

THE LIVING ROSARY. 

IN consequence of many of the faithful not finding it 
convenient to recite the regular Rosary daily, a devo- 
tion has been lately introduced, termed the " Living Ro- 
sary," which has received the express approbation of the 
Sovereign Pontiff. Fifteen persons, associated together 
for the purpose of reciting daily the entire Rosary, in the 
manner which we shall presently explain, constitute what 
has been designated as the "Living Rosary." These 
fifteen persons select one as their president, whose duty it 
is to superintend the concerns of the Association. Once in 
the month he draws for himself and each of his fellow- 
members, one of the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary. 
During the remainder of the month, and until the next 
drawing of mysteries, every member recites daily one 
decade of the Beads, meditating at the same time upon the 
mystery allotted to him. The person to whom the first 



THE LIVING ROSARY. 



441 



mystery may be allotted, is to recite, previously to his 
decade, the Creed and Lord's Prayer, and the three first 
Hail Marys with which the Beads commence. At the 
conclusion of his decade, each one recites this short 
prayer: "May the Divine Heart of Jesus, and the Im- 
maculate Heart of Mary, be ever known, loved, honored, 
and imitated in all places throughout the world." On the 
first Sunday of the month, it is advisable that all the mem- 
bers of this association of fifteen should meet together for 
the purpose of reciting in common at least the third part 
of the Rosary. If there should be several such associa- 
tions, as of course there may be many such in every con- 
gregation, they would do well to unite all together in this 
monthly recitation of the Rosary, under the direction of 
their Pastor, or other suitable person. On the first Sunday 
of October, which is appointed by the Church as the 
festival of the Rosary, and which is of course to be re- 
garded as the festival of this association, the entire of the 
fifteen Mysteries of the Rosary should be recited in the 
manner just mentioned. The day of this monthly meeting 
would be a suitable occasion for the drawing of the Mys- 
teries. It is expected that every sodalist will be punc- 
tual in reciting daily his decade in the manner already 
specified, and that on all occasions he will cultivate and 
cherish a most solid and tender devotion to the immaculate 
Mother of his Redeemer. Moreover, he should approach 
frequently, and with the most fervtnt dispositions, the 
Sacraments of Penance and the Holy Eucharist. It is 
likewise recommended that once in the year he should 
spend one hour in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, 
in the name, and in behal f of all the members of his asso- 
ciation. One half of this time to be spent in adoration of 
the most adorable Sacrament of the Altar, and the other 
in the performance of the Stations of the Cross. The 
object of this hour's devotion is to pray in a particular 
manner for his fellow-members, as also for all other faith- 
ful servants of Mary, living or dead. In the daily recital 
of his decade also, as well as in his communions, he should 
bear in mind, not merely his own individual necessities, 
but also those of his fellow-members. Finally, it is advised 
that he contribute a small sum monthly by way of an 
alms, to aid in purchasing books of devotion and instruction 
for distribution amongst the poor. Each association can 
arrange this matter with the president. 



442 



DEVOTION TO THE 



From the remarks which we have already made, it can 
be easily perceived why this form of devotion is called the 
" Living Rosary." The fifteen persons of each Associa- 
tion represent the fifteen decades and mysteries of the 
beads, and by their faithful recital of their respective por- 
tion, they daily present to the immaculate Mother of God, a 
chaplet,asit were, of hearts, not like the mere grains in the 
beads — but a chaplet of living hearts, whose glory it is to 
advance her honor, while they seek her protection and in- 
tercession, by their communion of prayer. The indulgences 
attached to this devotion are very abundant. They are 
more numerous than those hitherto attached even to the 
regular recitation of the Rosary. But to gain these indul- 
gences, the conditions specified must be strictly adhered 
to. (See Indulgences, No. XXII.) 

♦ 

THE DEVOTION TO THE SACKED HEART OF 
MARY* 

AS the adorable Heart of Jesus was formed in the chaste 
womb of the Blessed Virgin, and of her blood and 
substance, so we cannot in a more proper and agreeable 
manner show our devotion to the sacred Heart of the Son, 
than by directing some part of the said devotion to the ever 
pure heart of the Mother. For, you have two hearts here 
united in the most strict alliance and tender conformity of 
sentiments ; so that it is not in nature to please the one, 
without making yourself agreeable to the other, and ac- 
ceptable to both. Go then, devout client, go to the Heart 
of Jesus ; but let your way be through the Heart of Mary. 
The sword of grief which pierced her soul, opens you a 
passage : enter by the wound love has made ; advance to 
the Heart of Jesus, and rest there even till death itself. 
Presume not to separate and divide two objects so inti- 
mately united together ; but ask for aid in all your exi- 
gencies from the Heart of Jesus, and ask this favor 
through the Heart of Mary. 



* This feast is not celebrated in this country. 



SACRED HEART OF MARY. 



443 



AN ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE SACRED HEART 
OF MARY. 

OHOLY Mother of God, glorious Queen of heaven 
and earth ! I choose thee this day for my mother, 
and my advocate at the throne of thy Divine Son. Ac- 
cept the offering 1 here make of my heart : may it he 
irrevocable. It never can be out of danger, whilst at 
my disposal ; never secure but in thy hands. 

Ye choirs of Angels, witnesses of my oblation ! 
bear me up in the day of judgment, and next to Jesus 
and Mary, be ye propitious to me, should the enemy 
of my salvation have any claim upon me. Obtain for 
me at present the gift of a true repentance, and those 
graces I may afterwards stand in need of, for the gain- 
ing of life everlasting. Amen, 

THE LITANY. 

LORD, have mercy on us. 
Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ, hear us. 
Christ, graciously hear us. 
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us. 
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy 
on us. 

God the Holy Ghost, nave mercy on us. 
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. 
Heart of Mary, pray for us. 
Heart of Mary, according to the Heart of Jesus, 
Heart of Mary, united to the Heart of Jesus, 
Heart of Mary, organ of the Holy Ghost, 
Heart of Mary, sanctuary of the divinity, 
Heart of Mary, tabernacle of a God incarnate, 
Heart of Mary, always exempt from sin, 
Heart of Mary, always full of grace, 
Heart of Mary, blessed amongst all hearts, 
Heart of Mary, illustrious throne of glory, 



N 
C 



444 DEVOTION TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN". 



T3 

•I 



Heart of Mary, abyss arid prodigy of humility, ' 
Heart of Mary, glorious holocaust of divine 
love, 

Heart of Mary, nailed to the cross of Jesus, 

Heart of Mary, comfort of the afflicted, 

Heart of Mary, refuge of sinners, 

Heart of Mary, hope of the agonizing, 

Heart of Mary, seat of mercy, 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 
world ! Spare us, Lord. 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 
world ! Hear us, O Lord. 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 
world ! Have mercy on us. 

Y . Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. 

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises 
of Christ. 

LET US PRAY. 

SWEET Jesus ! who tenderly lovest the most holy 
of virgins, and art reciprocally most tenderly loved 
by her ; grant, we beseech thee, through the interces- 
sion of thy most holy Mother, and by the resemblance 
her most holy heart bore to thine, that we may ever 
return due love and affection for her care and tender- 
ness in our regard : Who, with the Father and the 
Holy Ghost, livest and reignest, world without end. 
Amen, 



A NOVENA, 

OR NINE DAYS' DEVOTION TO THE EVER-BLESSED 
VIRGIN. 

Having, out of devotion, lighted a wax candle, either in 
your private oratory, or in the Church, recite each day the 
following prayer. The intent is for obtaining some par- 
ticular favor. 

INCOMPARABLE Virgin, chosen by the ever ador- 
able Trinity, from all eternity, to be the most pure 
Mother of Jesus, allow thy servant to remind thee of 
the joy thou receivedst in the instant of the most sacred 
Incarnation of our divine Lord, and during the nine 
months thou carriedst him in thy most chaste womb. 
Oh ! that I could but renew, or, if possible, increase 
this thy joy by the fervor of my prayers. Most tender 
Mother of the afflicted ! grant me, in my present ne- 
cessities, those maternal consolations, and that peculiar 
protection, thou hast promised to those who shall de- 
voutly commemorate this ineffable joy. Relying on 
thy sacred word, and trusting in thy promise, I humbly 
entreat thee to obtain from Jesus Christ, thy dearly 
beloved Son, my request. Having specified it, say: May 
this light I burn before thy image, stand as a memo- 
rial of the lively confidence I repose in thy bounty. 
May it be consumed in honor of that inflamed and 
supernatural love and joy, with which thy sacred heart 
was replenished during the abode of thy blessed Son 
in thy womb, in veneration of which I offer to thee the 
sentiments of my heart, and the following salutations. 

PRAYER. 

MOTHER of my God ! to thee I offer these Hail 
Marys: they are so many brilliant jewels in the 
diadem of thy accidental glory, which will remain in- 
creasing to the end of the world. I beseech thee, 

38 445 



446 



A NOVENA TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 



comfort of the afflicted, by the joy thou receivedst in 
the submission and obedience of thy Son, to comfort 
my afflicted heart, and to obtain of him for me a favor- 
able answer to the petition I make to thy compassion- 
ate mercy and benevolence. To this effect I offer to 
thee all the good works that have ever been performed 
in the confraternities of thy sacred heart, and other 
associations in thy honor. I most humbly entreat 
thee, on this consideration, and for the love of the 
sacred Heart of Jesus, with which thy own was ever 
so inflamed, to hear my humble suit, and grant my 
request. Amen. 

THE REPARATION OF HONOR. 

MOTHER of God, whose sanctity and sublime 
merits surpass the comprehension even of the 
Angels themselves, how great is the maternal tender- 
ness of thy Heart towards mankind ! How great thy 
favors ! How unworthy our acknowledgment, our 
gratitude, our return ! My very soul is penetrated 
with grief at the consideration of the many injuries 
thou receivest from infidels and wicked Christians, by 
the execrable blasphemies vomited out against thy 
maternal virginity, sanctity and integrity, but espe- 
cially at the anguish with which those sinners load 
thee, who, heaping sin upon sin against thy divine 
Son, draw down vengeance and damnation on their 
own souls ; all which stand in direct opposition to 
thy tender love and compassion. Thus affected, and 
upon this consideration, I throw myself at thy feet, 
and though the greatest of sinners, most unworthy of 
and least corresponding with the graces I have re- 
ceived, I here enter my protest against such unwar- 
rantable proceedings, and beseech thee, Virgin more 
than martyr ! to accept the same, as a reparation of 
honor. Obtain pardon for my past offences and in- 
dignities, and those of all mankind. May we, sin- 
ners that we are, become sensible of the favors thou 



THE THIRTY DAYS' PRAYER TO THE B. V. M. 447 

hast obtained for us ; and being, truly contrite for the 
past, may we, by thy aid and assistance, breaking the 
chains of our former thraldom and slavery, live hence- 
forward in thy favor, and in the happy liberty of the 
children of God. May this our act and deed, Sa- 
viour of the world ! as we can do nothing more agree- 
able to thee than to testify our love and gratitude to 
thy blessed Mother, be approved and confirmed by thy 
blessing and authority. Amen. 

— • 

THE THIRTY DAYS' PRAYER TO THE BLESSED 
VIRGIN MARY, 

IX HONOR OF THE PASSION OF OUR LORD JESUS 
CHRIST. 

It is particularly recommended as a proper devotion for 
every day in Lent, and all the Fridays throughout the year. 

EVER-GLORIOUS and blessed Mary, Queen of 
virgins, Mother of mercy, hope and comfort of 
dejected and desolate souls ; through that sword of 
sorrow which pierced thy tender heart, whilst thine 
only Son, Christ Jesus our Lord, suffered death and 
ignominy on the cross ; through that filial tenderness 
and pure love he had for thee, grieving in thy grief, 
whilst from his cross be recommended thee to the 
care and protection of his beloved disciple St. John ; 
take pity, I beseech thee, on my poverty and neces- 
sities ; have compassion on my anxieties and cares ; 
assist and comfort me in all my infirmities and mise- 
ries, of what kind soever. Thou art the Mother of 
mercies, the sweet comforter and only refuge of the 
needy and the orphan, of the desolate and the afflicted. 
Cast, therefore, an eye of pity on a miserable and for- 
lorn child of Eve, and hear my prayer ; for, since in 
just punishment of my sins. I find myself encom- 
nassed by a multitude of evils, and oppressed with 



448 THE THIRTY DAYS' PRAYER 



much anguish of spirit, whither can I fly for more 
secure shelter, amiable Mother of my Lord and Sa- 
viour Jesus Christ, than under the wings of thy ma- 
ternal protection 1 Attend, therefore, 1 beseech thee, 
with pity and compassion, to my humble and earnest 
request. I ask it through the bowels of mercy of thy 
dear Son ; through that love and condescension where- 
with he embraced our nature, when, in compliance 
with the divine will, thou gavest thy consent, and 
whom, after the expiration of nine months, thou didst 
bring forth from the chaste enclosure of thy womb, to 
visit this world, and bless it with his presence. I ask 
it through that anguish of mind wherewith thy be- 
loved Son, our dear Saviour, was overwhelmed on 
Mount Olivet, when he besought his eternal Father to 
remove from him, if possible, the bitter chalice of his 
future passion. I ask it through the threefold repeti- 
tion of his prayer in the garden, whence afterwards, 
with dolorous steps and mournful tears, thou didst ac- 
company him to the theatre of his death and suffer- 
ings. I ask it through the stripes and bruises of his 
virginal flesh, occasioned by the cords and whips 
wherewith he was bound and scourged, when stripped 
of his seamless garment, for which his executioners 
afterwards cast lots. I ask it through the scoffs and 
ignominies by which he was insulted ; the false accu- 
sations and unjust sentence by which he was con- 
demned to death, and which he bore with heavenly 
patience. I ask it through his bitter tears and bloody 
sweat, his silence and resignation, his sadness and 
grief of heart. I ask it through the blood which 
trickled from his royal and sacred head, when struck 
with his sceptre of a reed, and pierced with his crown 
of thorns. I ask it through the excruciating torments 
he suffered, when his hands and feet were fastened 
with gross nails to the tree of the cross. I ask it 
through his vehement thirst, and bitter potion of 
vinegar and : gall. I ask it through his dereliction on 



TO THE B. VIRGIN MARY. 



449 



the cross, when he exclaimed, " My God ! My God ! 
why hast thou forsaken me?" I ask it through his 
mercy extended to the good thief, and through his re- 
commending his precious soul into the hands of his 
eternal Father, before he expired, saying : All is con- 
summated, I ask it through the blood mixed with 
water, which issued from his sacred side, when pierced 
with a lance, whence also a flood of grace and mercy 
has flowed to us. I ask it through his immaculate life, 
bitter passion, and ignominious death on the cross, at 
which nature itself was thrown into convulsions, by 
the bursting of rocks, the rending of the veil of the 
temple, the earthquake, and the darkness of the sun 
and moon. I ask it through his descent into hell, 
where he comforted the Saints of the Old Law with 
his presence, and led captivity captive. I ask it 
through his glorious victory over death, when he 
rose again to life on the third day, and through the 
joy which his appearance for forty days after gave 
thee his blessed Mother, his apostles and the rest of 
his disciples, when, in thine and their presence, he 
miraculously ascended into heaven. I ask it through 
the grace of the Holy Ghost, infused into the hearts 
of the disciples, when he descended upon them in the 
form of fiery tongues, by which they were inspired 
with zeal for the conversion of the world. I ask it 
through the awful appearance of thy Son, at the last 
dreadful day, when he shall come to judge the living 
and the dead, and the world by fire. I ask it through 
the compassion he bore thee in this life, and the in- 
effable joy thou didst feel at thine assumption into 
heaven, where thou art eternally absorbed in the sweet 
contemplation of his divine perfections. glorious 
and ever Blessed Virgin ! comfort the heart of thy 
suppliant, by obtaining for me — .* As I am per- 

* Here mention or reflect on your lawful request, with the 
reservation of its being agreeable to the will of God, who 
sees whether it will contribute towards your spiritual good. 

38* 



450 



PRAYER OF ST. BERNARD. 



suaded my Divine Saviour doth honor thee as his be- 
loved Mother, to whom he can refuse nothing", so let 
me speedily experience the efficacy of thy powerful 
intercession, according to the tenderness of thy ma- 
ternal affection, and his filial loving heart, who merci- 
fully granteth the requests, and complieth with the 
desires, of those that love and fear him. most 
Blessed Virgin ! besides the object of my present pe- 
tition, and whatsoever else I may stand in need of, 
obtain for me also of thy dear Son, our Lord and our 
God, a lively faith, firm hope, perfect charity, true 
contrition of heart, unfeigned tears of compunction, 
sincere confession, condign satisfaction, abstinence 
from sin, love of God and my neighbor, contempt of 
the world, patience to suffer affronts and ignominies ; 
nay, even, if necessary, an opprobrious death itself, for 
the love of thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Obtain 
likewise for me, sacred Mother of God ! persever- 
ance in good works, performance of good resolutions, 
mortification of self-will, a pious conversation through 
life, and, at my last moments, strong and sincere re- 
pentance, accompanied by such a lively and attentive 
presence of mind, as may enable me to receive the last 
sacraments of the Church worthily, and die in thy 
friendship and favor. Lastly, obtain, I beseech thee, for 
the souls of my parents, brethren, relations and bene- 
factors, both living and dead, life everlasting. Amen, 

— « 

PRAYER OF ST. BERNARD TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN 

MARY. 

EMEMBER, most pious Virgin Mary! that 
no one ever had recourse to thy protection, im- 
plored thy help, or sought thy mediation, without 
obtaining relief. Confiding, then, in thy goodness 
and mercy, I cast myself at thy sacred feet, and do 
most humbly supplicate thee, Mother of the eternal 




DOLORS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 451 

Word ! to adopt me as thy child, and take upon thy- 
self the care of my salvation. Oh ! let it not be said, 
my dearest Mother, that I have perished where no one 
ever found but grace and salvation. Amen, 

— « — 

THE SEVEN PRINCIPAL DOLORS OF THE BLESSED 
VIRGIN. 

Our blessed Saviour, as is related in the book of the 
Revelations with which St. Bridget was favored, promised 
his holy Mother, that whoever should piously commemo- 
rate and affectionately compassionate her dolors, and in- 
voke her assistance through the merits thereof, should 
not quit the world without a true compunction for his sins ; 
that in afflictions, particularly at the hour of death, they 
should find aid and relief; moreover, that on the motive 
of her dolors, no favor should be refused to her intercession, 
if the same were for the real advantage of her clients. 

i 

holy Simeon's prophecy. 

MOST afflicted Mother of God ! suffer thy ser- 
vant to remind thee of that grief which pene- 
trated thy sacred heart, when holy Simeon foretold 
that a sword should pierce thy very soul, prophetically 
denouncing the excess of torments thou shouldst 
undergo in the passion and sufferings of thy most 
beloved Son. I bear a sensible part in thy affliction, 
most tender and distressed Mother! obtain for me, 
from thy divine Son, through the merits of this thy 
anguish, a meek and pure heart, and a happy depart- 
ure from this life, under thy maternal care and power- 
ful protection. Amen. Hail Mary, 

II. 

HEROD PERSECUTES THE CHILD JESUS. 

MOST afflicted Mother of God ! suffer thy servant 
to remind thee of that grief which pierced thy 



452 DOLORS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 

sacred heart, when thou wast forced to take thy Son 
and fly into Egypt, among strangers and idolaters, to 
avoid the cruel pursuit of the tyrant Herod who 
sought his life. I bear a sensible part in thy afflic- 
tion, most tender and distressed Mother! obtain for 
me, from thy divine Son, through the merits of this 
thy anguish, a meek and pure heart, and a happy de- 
parture from this life, under thy maternal care and 
protection. Amen, Hail Mary* 

III. 

JESUS IS LOST AT THE AGE OF TWELVE YEARS. 

MOST afflicted Mother of God ! suffer thy servant 
to remind thee of that grief which pierced thy 
sacred heart, when thy Son Jesus, the only object of 
thy affection, at the age of twelve years, was lost on 
thy journey to Jerusalem. I bear a sensible part in 
thy affliction, most tender and distressed Mother! 
obtain for me, from thy divine Son, through the 
merits of this thy anguish, a meek and pure heart, 
and a happy departure from this life, under thy mater- 
nal care and powerful protection. Amen, Hail Mary. 

IV. 

JESUS CARRIES HIS CROSS. 

MOST afflicted Mother of God ! suffer thy servant 
to remind thee of that grief which pierced thy 
sacred heart, when the sorrowful tidings were brought 
thee, that thy Son was seized, bound, and inhu- 
manly treated ; but above all, when with thy own 
eyes thou beheldest him walking to the place of exe- 
cution, covered with his blood, and fainting under the 
weight of a heavy cross. I bear a sensible part in thy 
affliction, most tender and distressed Mother ! obtain 
for me, from thy divine Son, through the merits of this 
thy anguish, a meek and pure heart, and a happy de- 
parture from this life, under thy maternal care and 
powerful protection. Amen. Hail Mary. 



DOLORS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 453 

V. 

JESUS IS CRUCIFIED ON MOUNT CALVARY. 

MOST afflicted Mother of God! suffer thy ser- 
vant to remind thee of that grief which pierced 
thy sacred soul, when with abundant tears, and inex- 
pressible anguish of heart, thou beheldest him cruci- 
fied on Mount Calvary, and heardest him pronounce 
his seven last words ; but especially, when bowing 
down his head, he rendered his blessed soul into the 
hands of his eternal Father. I bear a sensible part in 
thy affliction, most tender and distressed Mother ! ob- 
tain for me, from thy divine Son, through the merits 
of this thy anguish, a meek and pure heart, and a 
happy departure from this life, under thy maternal 
care and powerful protection. Amen. Hail Mary, 

VI. 

JESUS IS TAKEN FROM THE CROSS. 

MOST afflicted Mother of God ! suffer thy ser- 
vant to remind thee of that grief which pierced 
thy sacred heart, when Nicodemus and Joseph of 
Arimathea took down the sacred remains of thy divine 
Son from the Cross, and placed them in thy arms. 
afflicted mother ! what then was the anguish of thy 
heart on beholding the sacred body of thy Son 1 when 
thou beheldest this sacred body exhausted of all its 
blood through those sacred openings made in his 
hands and feet by the nails which fixed him to the 
Cross, and in his side by the cruel lance which even 
pierced his sacred heart. I bear a sensible part in thy 
affliction, most tender and distressed Mother ! obtain 
for me, from thy divine Son, through the merits of 
this thy anguish, a meek and pure heart, and a happy 
departure from this life, under thy maternal care and 
powerful protection. Amen, Hail Mary, 



454 JOYS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 



VII. 

JESUS IS BURIED. 

MOST afflicted Mother of God ! suffer thy servant 
to remind thee of that grief which pierced thy 
sacred heart, when in thy presence the sacred body 
of thy dearest Son, being embalmed with precious 
ointments, and wrapped in a clean white sheet, was 
laid in the sepulchre. I bear a sensible part in thy 
affliction, most tender and distressed Mother! obtain 
for me, from thy divine Son, through the merits of 
this thy anguish, a meek and pure heart, and a happy 
departure from this life, under thy maternal care and 
powerful protection. Amen. Hail Mary, 

— _ « — 

THE SEYEN JOYFUL MYSTERIES OF THE LIFE OF 
THE EVER-BLESSED VIRGIN. 

THAT congratulating each day our Blessed Lady, on 
the seven joyful incidents or mysteries of her life, is a 
devotion both pious in itself, and agreeable to her, the fol- 
lowing example will demonstrate : St. Anselm is the author 
from whom we take it. 

A religious man, among other devotions, was accustomed 
every day to entertain himself on the seven signal joys our 
Blessed Lady received whilst living upon earth : he fell 
sick ; his continual devotion and virtuous life did not render 
him unsusceptible of the fears which generally accompany 
the passage from time to eternity. His mind was troubled 
with apprehensions for the event of that moment. Our 
Blessed Lady appeared to him and comforted him in the 
following words : " Fear not, my son, the passage is short : 
you go from a miserable life to a happy eternity. Your 
aaily congratulations with me upon the joyful mysteries of 
my life, have "brought me hithe: ; and I now assure you 
that soon you shall partake of them in heaven." So un- 
speakable was the joy he experienced in his soul upon 
nearing these words,, and at witnessing the care which 
this admirable protectress manifests for her clients, that, 



JOYS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 



455 



forgetting his sickness, and making an effort to fling him 
self at her feet, to thank her for so. signal a favor, he ex- 
pired; and, no doubt, accompanied his benefactress to 
heaven, and entered upon the possession of that reward 
she had so graciously promised him. 

St. Bernardin of Sienna, a peculiar client of our Blessed 
Lady, recited daily his beads in honor of these joyful mys- 
teries, to which, he assures us, he stood indebted for all 
the particular favors and blessings he received from the 
liberal hand of Almighty God. 

I. 

MARY IS MOTHER OF GOD, AND A VIRGIN. 

THRICE happy Virgin! suffer thy servant to con- 
gratulate thee for the ineffable joy with which thy 
sacred heart was replenished, when, without injury to 
thy virginal purity, thou conceivedst the eternal Word 
in thy sacred womb. I rejoice in thy happiness, 
blessed Mother ! Look thou on me in this moment, 
and obtain for me of thy divine Son, through thy 
merits and thy exaltation to this sublime dignity, a 
meek and pure heart, and a happy departure from this 
life, under thy maternal care and powerful protection. 
Amen, Hail Mary. 

II. 

MARY CARRIES THE SON OF GOD IN HER WOMB, AND 
IS DECLARED BLESSED AMONGST ALL WOMEN. 

THRICE happy Virgin ! suffer thy servant to con- 
gratulate thee for the ineffable joy with which thy 
sacred heart was replenished, when, for the space of 
nine months, thou carriedst in thy chaste womb the 
Son of God, the second person of the adorable Trinity, 
and wast, by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, sa- 
luted blessed amongst all women, and the fruit of thy 
womb pronounced blessed. I rejoice in thy happi- 
ness, blessed Mother ! Look thou on me in this 
moment, and obtain for me, of thy divine Son, through 



456 



JOYS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 



thy merits and thy exaltation to this sublime dignity, 
a meek and pure heart, and a happy departure from 
this life, under thy maternal care and powerful protec- 
tion. Amen. Hail Mary* 

lit 

JESUS CHRIST IS BORN OF MARY AT BETHLEHEM. 

THRICE happy Virgin! suffer thy servant to con- 
gratulate thee for the ineffable joy with which thy 
sacred heart was replenished, when the Son of God 
was born of thee in a stable at Bethlehem. I rejoice 
in thy happiness, blessed Mother ! Look thou on 
me in this moment, and obtain for me, of thy divine 
Son, through thy merits and this sublime favor of 
heaven, a meek and pure heart, and a happy departure 
from this life, under thy maternal care and powerful 
protection. Amen. Hail Mary. 

IV. 

THE MAGI COME TO ADORE THE NEW-BORN KING. 

THRICE happy Virgin ! suffer thy servant to con- 
gratulate thee for the ineffable joy with which thy 
sacred heart was replenished, when the Magi from the 
east arrived at the stable of Bethlehem. They pros- 
trate themselves before thy divine Son, O blessed 
Mother! and by the offerings they make and the 
homage they pay, acknowledge him as King, God 
and Man. I rejoice in thy happiness. Look thou on 
me in this moment, and obtain for me, of thy divine 
Son, through thy merits, and by the joy thou received st 
on this occasion, a meek and pure heart, and a happy 
departure from this life, under thy maternal care and 
powerful protection. Amen. Hail Mary. 



JOYS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 



457 



V. 

MARY FINDS HER SOX IX THE TEMPLE. 

THRICE happy Virgin ! suffer thy servant to con- 
gratulate thee for the ineffable joy with which 
thy sacred heart was replenished, when thou foundest 
thy beloved Son in the Temple, sitting in the midst 
of the doctors, hearing them, and asking them ques- 
tions with an admirable wisdom, to the great aston- 
ishment of all present. I rejoice in thy happiness, 
blessed Mother ! Look thou on me in this moment, 
and obtain for me, of thy divine Son, through thy 
merits and the joy of this event, a meek and pure 
heart, and a happy departure from this life, under thy 
maternal care and powerful protection. Amen. Hail 
Mary. 

VI. 

MARY SEES HER SOX TRIUMPH AXT OVER DEATH. 

THRICE happy Virgin ! suffer thy servant to con- 
gratulate thee for the ineffable joy with which 
thy sacred heart was replenished, when thy divine 
Son, environed with glory, and triumphant over 
death and the ignominy of his passion, appeared to 
thee comforting thy soul. I rejoice in thy happiness, 
blessed Mother ! Look thou on me in this moment, 
and obtain for me, of thy divine Son, through thy 
merits and the glory of that day, a meek and pure 
heart, and a happy departure from this life, under thy 
maternal care and powerful protection. Amen. Hail 
Mary. 

VII. 

MARY IS QUE EX OF HEAVEN AND EARTH. 

THRICE happy Virgin ! suffer thy servant to con- 
gratulate thee for the ineffable joy with which 
thy sacred heart was replenished, when thou wast 
carried to the highest heavens on the wings of the 

39 



458 JOYS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN IN HEAVEN. 



Seraphim, even to the throne of God, environed with 
celestial choirs of Angels and Saints ; but above all, 
when the most adorable Trinity, Father, Son, and 
Holy Ghost, placed thee on a seat of glory, prepared 
for thee from all eternity. I rejoice in thy happiness, 
blessed Mother ! Look thou on me in this moment, 
and obtain for me, of thy divine Son, through thy 
merits and thy exaltation to this sublime dignity, a 
meek and pure heart, and a happy departure from this 
life, under thy maternal care and powerful protection. 
Amen. Hail Mary. 

— « — . 

THE SEVEN JOYS OF OUR BLESSED LADY IN 
HEAVEN. 

THIS devotion, no less than the former, is pleasing and 
agreeable to the ever-glorious Mother of God. She 
herself teaches us this truth ; she suggested and re- 
commended the practice of it to her servant, St. Thomas, 
archbishop of Canterbury, as is related by Pelbartus in 
his Stellarium, and in his sermon on St. Thomas ; and also 
by Ballingham, in his Calendar of the Blessed Virgin. 

St. Thomas, whilst reciting the Hail Mary seven times, 
which he daily did in memory of the principal joys his 
blessed Patroness, the ever-glorious Virgin, received whilst 
upon earth, was favored with an apparition of the Queen 
of Heaven. She exhorted him to add seven Aves more 
each day in honor of the seven signal joys she possesses in 
heaven, and to instil the same devotion into the minds of 
others ; assuring him that this instance of their respect and 
affection should not pass without her peculiar regard and 
recompense ; that in their afflictions she would assist them, 
and that she would comfort and support them, especially 
at the hour of their death. 

i. 

SHE IS EXALTED ABOVE ALL THE CHOIRS OF HEAVEN. 

REJOICE, most glorious Virgin ! thy profound 
humility and purity without example have raised 



JOYS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN IN HEAVEN. 459 



thee above all the Angels, and the celestial hierarchy: 
thy glory, Virgin Mother ! as far surpasses that of 
all the Saints in heaven, as thy sanctity was superior 
to theirs upon earth. I rejoice in thy exaltation, O 
blessed Mother of God ! Look down on thy servant, 
and by thy power and goodness obtain for me, from 
thy Son, a meek and pure heart, that I may serve 
thee faithfully in this life, and by thy intercession, be 
happy with thee hereafter. Amen. Hail Mary. 

it 

HER PRESENCE ADDS A LUSTRE TO HEAVEN. 

EEJOICE, most glorious Virgin ! such is the 
light of thy glorified body, that it illuminates the 
heavenly Jerusalem, even as the sun enlightens this 
lower hemisphere : thy presence not only adds an 
accidental beauty to that heavenly city, but also in- 
creases the happiness of each inhabitant of that blessed 
court. I rejoice in thy excellence, blessed Mother 
of God ! Look down on thy servant, and by thy power 
and goodness, obtain for me, from thy Son, a meek 
and pure heart, that I may serve thee in this life, and 
by thy intercession, be happy with thee hereafter. 
Amen. Hail Mary. 

ILL 

SHE IS SINGULARLY HONORED BY ALL THE BLESSED. 

REJOICE, O most glorious Virgin! the Saints 
and Angels in heaven honor thee as the daugh- 
ter of God the Father, mother of God the Son, and 
spouse of God the Holy Ghost. They pay all due re- 
spect, love and homage to thee, the object, next to 
God, of their complaisance, gratitude and affection. 
I rejoice in the honors paid to thee, O blessed Mother 
of God ! Look down on thy servant, and by thy 
power and goodness, obtain for me, from thy Son, a 



460 JOYS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN IN HEAVEN. 

meek and pure heart, that I may serve thee in this life, 
and by thy intercession, be happy with thee hereafteT. 
Amen, Hail Mary, 

IV. 

HER INTERCESSION IN FAVOR OF HER SERVANTS 
IS ALL-POWERFUL. 

REJOICE, O most glorious Virgin ! such is thy 
favor with God, that when thou art pleased to in- 
terpose in behalf of the sinner, there is no danger of a 
refusal on the part of heaven. I rejoice in thy power, 
glorious Mother of God ! Look down on thy ser- 
vant, and by thy power and goodness, obtain for me, 
from thy Son, a meek and pure heart, that I may serve 
thee in this life, and by thy intercession, be happy 
with thee hereafter. Amen, Hail Mary, 

V. 

HER THRONE IS NEXT TO THAT OF HER DIVINE SON. 

REJOICE, most glorious Virgin ! my soul is 
incapable of containing the transports it feels. 
May the adorable Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy 
Ghost, be ever blessed, who has distinguished thy 
throne in so glorious a manner, and has fixed thy seat 
next to that of thy divine Son. I rejoice, and my joy 
is above all I can express, in thy glory, glorious 
Mother of God ! Look down on thy servant, and by 
thy power and goodness, obtain for me, from thy Son, 
a meek and pure heart, that I may serve thee in this 
life, and by thy intercession, be happy with thee here- 
after. Amen, Hail Mary, 

VI. 

GOD REGARDS AND LOVES THOSE WHO LOVE AND 
REVERENCE THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 

REJOICE, O most glorious Virgin! the love 
which the Almighty bears thee, extends even to 



DEVOTION OF THE SCAPULAR. 461 



those who love and reverence thee. Great is their 
portion, happy their lot in particular, who with zeal 
and affection promote thy honor and thy glory. I re- 
joice in the favor thou enjoy est, glorious Mother of 
God ! Look down on thy servant, and by thy power 
and goodness, obtain for me, from thy Son, a meek 
and pure heart, that I may serve thee in this life, and 
by thy intercession, be happy with thee hereafter. 
Amen. Hail Mary. 

VII. 

HER JOY AND GLORY ARE ETERNAL. 

T)EJOICE, most glorious Virgin! thy essential 
£\) bliss and happiness, how immense soever, will 
never have an end or diminution, and thy joy will, 
through all ages, be augmented. I rejoice in thy 
felicity, O glorious Mother of God ! Look down on 
thy servant, and by thy power and goodness, obtain 
for me, from thy Son, a meek and pure heart, that I 
may serve thee in this life, and by thy intercession, 
be happy with thee hereafter. Amen. Hail Mary, 

— ♦ 

DEVOTION OF THE SCAPULAR. 

THE devotion of the Scapular is almost as ancient as that 
of the Rosary, having been established in 1265, by St. 
Simon Stock, the sixth general of the order of Carmelites. 
The blessed Virgin appeared to him holding in her hand 
the form of a Scapular, and directed him to institute a pious 
confraternity, the members of which would consecrate 
themselves to her service, and wear her livery. This as- 
sociation soon extended itself over the Church, and it has 
always counted among its members a large number of the 
clergy and laity. Almighty God has often favored those 
who wear the Scapular with marks of his special protec- 
tion, and the Holy See has given its fullest approbation to 
it, as we may learn from the ample indulgences granted to 
the association, and the establishment of the feast of Our 

39* 



462 DEVOTION OF THE SCAPULAR. 



Lady of Mount Carmel. The devotion of the Scapular can 
be established in any place, with the permission of the 
bishop, who has received the faculty from the Holy See. 
The priest who has been empowered by the bishop to con- 
fer the Scapular, first blesses it, then lays it upon the per- 
son who is admitted into the confraternity. No other con- 
dition is necessary in order to participate in its spiritual ad- 
vantages. They who wear the Scapular, however, should 
endeavor to imitate the virtues of the Mother of God, par- 
ticularly her purity, humility and charity. If practised in 
this spirit, and with fidelity to the conditions above men- 
tioned, the devotion cannot fail to be a source of many 
spiritual blessings to the pious Christian. It is related in 
the fourth book of Kings, ch. v., that Naaman the Syrian, 
who was infected with leprosy, was told by the prophet 
Eliseus, \'j Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and thou 
shalt be clean." But he disdaining the advice, as not being 
likely to avail him, was strenuously exhorted thereto by his 
servants, in this manner; if the prophet had bid thee do 
some great thing thou oughtest to have done it : how much 
rather, then, when he saith to thee, wash, and be clean. I 
say the same at present concerning the sacred habit of 
the Scapular ; if our blessed Lady had bid us do some great 
thing, we ought to do it ; how much rather, then, when she 
saith, " wear my livery and you shall not suffer eternal 
fire." If she had enjoined us to make great abstinence ; 
to undergo some rigorous mortification, or to undertake a 
long and tedious pilgrimage, with this condition, that we 
should be freed from eternal damnation, from the torment 
of purgatory, and from the many dangerous events which 
easily do befall us in this life ; right reason would dictate 
to us that we ought to attempt any thing for the obtaining 
of so great a good: how much more, then, when she hath 
annexed these and many other extraordinary graces, to the 
reception only and devout wearing of her holy habit of the 
Scapular, with a final confidence in her powerful protec- 
tion; but you will perhaps, with Naaman, object, what 
can such a weak thing avail us, as the Scapular is ? To 
this I answer, with the Apostle, (1 Cor. i 27,) " The weak 
things of the world hath God chosen, that he might con- 
found the strong." He hath made choice of the weak ele- 
ment of water to wash us from original sin, which is so 
deeply indicated in us by the prevarication of our first fa- 
ther Adam, and he hath made use of the weak habit of the 



DEVOTION OF THE SCAPULAR. 463 



Scapular, to produce those excellent effects which are men- 
tioned in the chapter following. 

It is no new thing for Almighty God to make use of the 
clothes and garments of Saints, in order to the effecting of 
prodigious things. The mantle of the holy patriarch St. 
Elias, divided twice the water of Jordan, (4 Kings ii :) the 
shadow of St. Peter cured all diseases, (Acts v 15:) the 
handkerchiefs and napkins of St. Paul drove away evil 
spirits, and healed all sorts of infirmities, (Acts ix 12.) 
Nevertheless, our Saviour never so frequently concurred 
with the relics of any saints, to the effecting of such like 
things, as he has done with the sacred habit of his Virgin 
Mother, which he seems to have made choice of, that he 
may thereby demonstrate to the world both the efficacy of 
her intercession, and the height of her merits and glory. 
For, during the last six hundred years, ever since the time 
of St. Simon Stock, most miraculous and extraordinary 
things have been, and daily are done throughout the whole 
Christian world, by the intercession of the most blessed 
Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel, and by means of her sacred 
Scapular. Hence, if this devotion is not a source of abun- 
dant spiritual blessings to the Christian, he must attribute 
it to his own negligence, in not duly setting to profit so 
powerful a means of salvation. 

PRAYFR ON THE OCCASION OF ONE'S RECEPTION 
INTO THE CONFRATERNITY OF THE SCAPULAR. 

THRICE, sacred Virgin Mary, Mother of God, I, 
N. N., though most unworthy to be registered 
amongst your servants ; yet moved by that goodness 
which the Angels admire in you to an ardent desire 
of honoring, loving and serving you, do here this day, 
with all possible humility, sincerity and devotion, in 
the presence of my Angel guardian, and the whole 
court of Heaven, make choice of you for my sin- 
gular Lady, Advocate and Mother; firmly purposing 
to honor, love, and serve you, with all filial duty, 
diligence and fidelity; and to procure as much as it 
shall lie in my power, that all others may do the same. 
I therefore most heartily beseech you, most merci- 
ful and compassionate Mother ! by the precious blood 



464 DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF MAY. 



which your clearly beloved Sen, my blessed Saviour, 
shed for me in his bitter passion ; that you will be 
graciously pleased to receive, and admit me into the 
number of your devout clients, as one devoted to your 
perpetual service. 

Be thou favorable to me, Blessed Lady, and ob- 
tain for me of your all-powerful son, that I may so 
behave myself in all my thoughts, words and actions, 
as never more to think, speak, or act any thing dis- 
pleasing to his sacred majesty. 

Grant, furthermore, my good and gracious Mo- 
ther ! that I may never forget you, nor forfeit this, my 
now made promise of honoring, loving, and serving 
you all the days of my life. That so I may never be 
forgotten, forsaken, nor abandoned by you ; but be al- 
ways protected, aided, and assisted by you, especially 
in the hour of my death. Amen, 



DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF MAY. 

THE devotion of the faithful towards the Mother of God 
has inspired them to consecrate the month of May in 
a special manner to her honor. This pious practice origi- 
nated in Italy ; and the month of May was selected in pre- 
ference to any other, from a wish to change a season of 
dissipation and amusement into one of instruction and de- 
votion. From Italy it passed into France, and other coun- 
tries of Europe, where it has been found productive of the 
most beneficial results. Within the last few years, it has 
been introduced into the United States, and has been prac- 
tised by numbers of the faithful servants of Mary, who 
eagerly profit by this opportunity of testifying their love 
and gratitude to the Holy Mother of God, and of cultivat- 
ing the virtues which would assimilate them to this perfect 
model of Christians. 

. Various methods have been suggested for the purpose 
of sanctifying the month of May ; but that most generally 
followed consists 1. in meditating daily on some preroga- 



DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF MAY. 465 

tive or virtue of the Mother of God ; 2. in reading an edi- 
fying lesson or narrative, illustrative of the benefits to be 
derived from a pious confidence in Mary ; 3. in invoking 
her intercession by fervent prayer.* *These devotions are 
commonly performed in a Church, before an altar or image 
of the blessed Virgin, which is adorned with flowers in her 
honor ; but they may also be performed in private, either 
at an oratory arranged for this purpose, or without it. If 
possible, Mass should be heard each day ; and the ordi- 
nary devotions to Mary practised with more than ordinary 
fervour and exactness. 

As the object of this devotion is to eradicate vice from 
the heart, and plant in its stead the seed of heavenly vir- 
tue, each one should prepare for the exercises of this month, 
by approaching the sacraments of penance and the holy 
Eucharist. If that be not possible, let him excite his heart 
to sincere contrition for having offended God, and resolve 
to take the earliest opportunity of being reconciled with 
him. Each one should propose to overcome some vice or 
failing, to which he is most particularly subject or inclined ; 
or to acquire some virtue, or degree of virtue, of which he 
may stand in need, or to which the grace of God may 
prompt him to aspire. All the exercises of the month 
should be specially directed to attain this object. 

On the tenth and twentieth days of the month, it is re- 
commended to examine in what manner the exercises of 
the preceding days have been performed ; that thus what- 
ever neglect or tepidity may have accompanied the practice 
of this devotion may be repented of and avoided. The 
sacraments of penance and the holy eucharist may be re- 
ceived on these days, to obtain pardon for the past, and 
the grace necessary for the due discharge of the remaining 
part of this salutary devotion. 

On the last day of the month, or on the Sunday imme- 
diately following, those engaged in this devotion should ap- 
proach the sacraments of penance and the holy Eucharist. 
At a convenient hour in the afternoon, the following act of 
consecration should be read by the pastor of the Church, 
in which the devotion has been performed. After this, 
with the bishop's permission, benediction of the Most Holy 
Sacrament should conclude the solemn act of consecration. 



* See the excellent work on this subject by Dr. Kenrick, 
bishop of St. Louis. 



466 DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF MAY. 



This ceremony might take place on the last day of the 
month, but the following Sunday is generally preferred; 
that all may have the opportunity of approaching the sacra- 
ments, and that the act of consecration may be performed 
with greater solemnity. See Indulgences, No. XXVII. 

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE SACRED HEART OF 

MARY. 

SACRED and immaculate Heart of Mary ever 
Virgin ! Heart, most holy, most pure, most 
noble, most august, and most perfect which the om- 
nipotence of God has formed in a pure creature ! 
exhaustless source of goodness and mildness, of mercy 
and of love! model of all virtues; perfect image of 
the adorable Heart of Jesus ! O Heart, which didst 
always burn with the most ardent charity, which didst 
love God more than the Seraphim — more than the An- 
gels and the Saints ! Heart of the Mother of the 
Redeemer, which hast so lively a sense of our miseries, 
which didst suffer so much for our salvation, which 
hast loved us with such ardent love, and w 7 hich claim- 
est, by so many titles, the respect, love, and venera- 
tion of all creatures — vouchsafe to accept my unworthy 
homage. Prostrate before thee, sacred Heart of 
Mary, I honor thee with the most profound respect of 
which I am capable. I thank thee for the sentiments 
of mercy and of love, with which thou hast been so 
often moved at the sight of my miseries. I return 
thee thanks for all the benefits which thy maternal 
bounty has procured for me. I unite myself with all 
pure souls, who find their delight in honoring, prais- 
ing, and loving thee. 

most amiable Heart! thou shaltbe henceforward, 
after the Heart of Jesus, the object of my veneration, 
of my love, and of my devotion. By thee, will I ap- 
proach my Saviour ; and by thee shall I receive His 
graces and mercies. Thou wilt be my refuge in afflic- 
tion, my consolation in suffering-, and my assistance in 



ARCHCONFRATERNITY, &C. 



467 



all my necessities. I will learn from thee purity, hu- 
mility and obedience : and derive from thee love of the 
Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Master. 
J men. 

— » — 

ARCHCONFRATERNITY OF THE IMMACULATE 
HEART OF MARY, 

FOR THE CONVERSION OF SINNERS. 

AMONG the various modes which Catholic piety has 
adopted, in modern times, for honoring the Mother of 
God, and invoking the blessings of her maternal care, that 
of the Archconfraternity for the Conversion of Sinners is 
one of the most excellent. It was established in 1836, by 
the Abbe Desgennettes, cure of Notre Dame des Victoires 
in Paris. Situated in the centre of the French metropolis, 
and surrounded with theatres, places of amusement, and 
resorts of dissipation, this parish had lost nearly all reli- 
gious sentiment. The Church was almost deserted even on 
the greatest solemnities ; the Sacraments were scarcely 
ever approached, and there remained scarcely any trace of 
those religious practices which mark a Catholic commu- 
nity. The parish contains above 28,000 souls. In the year 
1835 there were only 720 communions ; and even this was 
thought a slight improvement on the preceding years. 

Distressed beyond measure, the zealous pastor resolved 
to consecrate this charge to the Immaculate Virgin, to 
seek through her intercession the conversion of those of 
his flock, who were straying from the service of God. In 
December, 1836, he erected a confraternity under the above 
title ; having previously obtained the approbation and 
sanction of the venerable Archbishop of Paris, Mgr. de 
Quelen. The effect was all that he could have hoped for. 
During the first year of its existence, the communions in 
the parish Church reached the number of 9550 ; and each 
year since that date the number has continued to increase. 
In 1838, the late Sovereign Pontiff, Gregory XVI, con- 
firmed the association and raised it the rank of an Arch- 
confraternity, with power to establish branches. Accord- 
ing to the report for 1845, there are 4945 regularly esta- 
blished branches throughout the Catholic world. Several 



468 LITANY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION 



have been organized in the United States. The following 
are the conditions for becoming members of the confra- 
ternity : — 

I. Each member must have his baptismal and family 
name inscribed in the Register, and procure a letter or 
ticket of admission from the director, or clergyman, who 
establishes the Society in his Church. 

II. All the members will recite, at least once a day, the 
Hail Mary, or Angelical Salutation for the Conversion of 
Sinners ; and, for the same object, they are exhorted often 
to recite other prayers to the Blessed Virgin, especially the 
prayer of St. Bernard, and the invocation, "Mary, refuge 
of sinners, pray for us." They will also, as far as pos- 
sible, be present at, and join in the public prayers recited 
in the Church after Vespers on Sundays and Holydays, to 
wit, the Litany of our Lady of Loretto, and the prayer of 
St. Bernard, " Memorare." 

The great Festival of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, is 
celebrated every year on the Sunday before Septuagesima 
Sunday, except those years in which there is but one Sun- 
day after Epiphany, and then it is celebrated on Sexage- 
sima Sunday. The other festivals or chief days of devo- 
tion for the members of the Confraternity, are the Feasts 
of the Circumcision of our Lord, — the Purification, An- 
nunciation, Compassion, Nativity, Assumption, and Con- 
ception of the Blessed Virgin; also the Conversion of St. 
Paul (January the 25th) and St. Mary Magdalen's day 
(22d of July). — -All the Saturdays of the year, are days of 
special devotion to the sacred heart of Mary. — See Indul- 
gences, No. XXXVII. 

♦ 

LITANY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF 
THE BLESSED VIRGIN MAM. 

LORD, have mercy on us. 
Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ, hear us. 
Christ, graciously hear us. 

God the Father, source of all sanctity, have mercy 
on us. 

God the Son, increated sanctity, have mercy on us, 



OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. 469 



God the Holy Ghost, spirit of sanctity, have mercy 
on us. 

Most sacred Trinity, have mercy on us. 
Immaculate holy Mary, pray for us. 
Immaculate Mother of God, 
Immaculate Virgin of virgins, 
Immaculate in your conception, 
Immaculate after conception, 
Immaculate daughter of the Father, 
Immaculate Mother of the Son, 
Immaculate spouse of the Holy Ghost, 
Immaculate seat of the Holy Trinity, 
Immaculate image of the divine wisdom, 
Immaculate ark of the body of Christ, 
Immaculate daughter of David, 
Immaculate way which conducts to Jesus, 
Immaculate Virgin, who hast triumphed over ori- 
ginal sin, 

Immaculate Virgin, who hast crushed the serpent's 
head, 

Immaculate queen of heaven and earth, 
Immaculate gate of the holy city, 
Immaculate dispensatrix of grace, p 
Immaculate spouse of St. Joseph, 
Immaculate dawn of the sun of justice, 
Immaculate star of the sea, s 
Immaculate bulwark of the Church, 
Immaculate rose among thorns, 
Immaculate olive of the field, 
Immaculate model of all perfection, 
Immaculate column of our faith, 
Immaculate ground of our hope, after Christ, 
Immaculate ocean of divine love, 
Immaculate beacon of salvation, 
Immaculate rule of the most perfect obedience, 
Immaculate house of the purest chastity, 
Immaculate trumpet of holy poverty, 
Immaculate school of all devotion, 
Immaculate anchor of our salvation, 
Immaculate joy of angels, 
Immaculate crown of patriarchs, 
Immaculate light of prophets, 
Immaculate mistress of apostles, 
Immaculate strength of Martyrs, 
40 



470 LITANY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. 



pi 



Immaculate princess of doctors, 

Immaculate virtue of confessors, 

Immaculate purity of virgins, 

Immaculate glory of all saints, 

Immaculate sanctity of all Christians, 

Immaculate companion of devout souls, 

Immaculate joy of those who trust in you, 

Immaculate medicine of the sick, 

Immaculate advocate of sinners, 

Immaculate terror of heretics, 

Immaculate patroness of all mankind, 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, 
spare us, O Lord. 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, 
graciously hear us, O Lord. 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, 
have mercy on us. 

Anliphon. — We salute you, Virgin Mother of God, ex- 
empt from original sin, who, at the moment of your con- 
ception, crushed the serpent's head. We hail you, purest 
of virgins — we cry to you for protection ; save us, poor 
sinners, by your prayers — render your Son favorable to us 
in death, and be yourself present to assist us, O holy Vir- 
gin ! immaculate before conception — immaculate in con- 
ception — and immaculate after conception ! 

Pray for us, immaculate Mother of God, 

That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 

PRAYER. 

ALMIGHTY and Eternal God, who hast inspired 
thy Church to institute a festival in honor of the con- 
ception of the Mother of thy Son, grant that all who de- 
voutly celebrate it on earth may eternally enjoy thy pre- 
sence in heaven, through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, 
thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity 
of the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen. 



A NOVENA TO ST. JOSEPH. 



DIRECTIONS FOR EACH DAY OF THE NOVENA. 

Begin with the Litany of the Saint, at page 86 ; say one 
of the following prayers; recite the Our Father, and the 
Hail Mary, three times; and conclude by the Oblation; 
Holy Joseph, d/C, page 476. 

ON THE FIRST DAY. 

BLESSED St. Joseph, bom to be the guardian of 
Jesus, the protector and consoler of Mary ! make 
powerful intercession for me, that my pious resolu- 
tions may not prove abortive ; that I may be born to 
an interior and spiritual life ; that I may have such an 
increase of sanctity, so ardent a love of purity, so 
great a conviction of my own vileness, so clear a light 
of the emptiness and vanity of worldly grandeur, as 
to esteem and relish only things that are eternal : 
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, &c. &c. 

ON THE SECOND DAY. 

OMNIPOTENT Creator, whose unerring pro- 
vidence adds joy every moment to the Angels in 
heaven, and to the Saints upon earth ! I most hum- 
bly beg, through the intercession of St. Joseph, that I 
may cheerfully acquiesce and rejoice in every thing 
that comes from thy fatherly hand ; that T may be 
vigorous in executing thy divine will, and glorify thee 
in my present state. Grant me the true spirit of mor- 
tification, to subdue my stubborn passions, to satisfy 
for what is past, and to be a preservative from future 
dangers. Grant, that by purity of intention, the 
meanest of my actions may be acceptable to thee, as 
was the mite of the poor widow, which was put into 
the treasury of the temple : Through Jesus Christ our 
Lord. Amen. 



471 



472 



NOVENA TO ST. JOSEPH. 



ON THE THIRD DAY. 

OMNIPOTENT God, at whose command every 
tree produced fruit of its kind ! grant, through 
the intercession of Mary and Joseph, that I may serve 
thee faithfully in the state in which thou hast placed 
me. I firmly believe all thou hast revealed : protact 
me, lest I should be found among the number of those 
foolish Virgins, who carried lamps without oil. As- 
sist me with thy powerful grace, that I may be hum- 
ble, charitable and chaste ; and not be like the barren 
fig-tree, fit only to become fuel for eternal flamss. 
This grace I implore through the infinite merits of 
Jesus, my Saviour. Amen, 

OX THE FOURTH DAY. 

XTOLY Ghost, God of all comfort! If thou 
jLjL seest it expedient for the security of my salva- 
tion, that I should be oppressed with tribulation, per- 
mit me not to fall. Infinite power ! bear me up ; thou 
knowest my weakness. Favor me with thy grace, 
that I may be compassionate towards my neighbor, 
and govern myself with the same spirit of lenity and 
charity, as if the case were my own. I deplore my 
censorious temper, and resolve to be upon my guard. 
I return thee thanks for inspiring me with the resolu- 
tion of becoming better ; but of myself I am not 
able to persevere in my good intentions. I beg thy 
assistance, that I may fulfil what thou commandest ; 
and then, dear Lord, command what thou pleasest. 
Afflict me with such crosses as I can endure, that I 
may discharge at least a part of the great debt due to 
the divine justice. Grant, through the intercession 
of St. Joseph, that after my temporal trials, whether 
exterior or interior, I may find that permanent joy with 
which thou renderest him, and his immaculate Spouse, 
eternally happy : Through the merits of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, &c. Amen* 



NO VENA TO ST. JOSEPH. 473 



ON THE FIFTH DAY. 

INFINITE God ! how truly may it be said of 
me, The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his 
master's crib ; but thou knowest not thy Lord. I ad- 
mire thy love and charity; I am ashamed of my 
tepidity and ingratitude. Infinite goodness ! I come 
too late to love thee, but although it be the eleventh 
hour, bestow on me the promised reward : be to me a 
Saviour. Thou who hast bled for me, let me partake 
of thy eternal charity. Grant, that, through the in- 
tercession of St. Joseph, my good resolutions may be 
perfected. I also beg, that, when I entertain thee in 
the most blessed Sacrament, I may be favored with 
the same sentiments of adoration, love and thanksgiv- 
ing, that St. Joseph experienced, when he received 
thee from Simeon, to restore thee to thy blessed 
Mother. Amen, 

ON THE SIXTH DAY. 

JESUS, my Maker and my Master, without whose 
merciful assistance I walk in darkness, and 
perish ! I most humbly beg, through the interces- 
sion of St. Joseph, that thou wilt grant me grace 
to escape from the servitude of sin, under which I 
have so long groaned; in order that I may enjoy the 
liberty of thy faithful servants. I have frequently ex- 
perienced thy goodness, and I know thy power ; my 
trust is in both. Oh ! grant me constancy to despise 
the allurements of the world, and to remain undaunted 
under afflicting terrors. My dear Redeemer, I have 
too often lost thee by sin ; I have willingly and wil- 
fully parted with thee, to follow my corrupt inclina- 
tions. O God ! who didst come to seek sinners, take 
pity on me who am the greatest. Thou art now 
pleased to bless me with such a true sense of my 
former offences, that I grieve not so much for the fear 

40* „ 



474 



NO VENA TO ST. JOSEPH. 



of punishment, as for the misfortune of having of- 
fended thee, the centre of all goodness. 

I steadfast!}?" purpose, through thy grace, to seek 
thee seriously, by the reformation of my life, that I 
may rind thee in the heavenly Jerusalem, reigning 
with the Father and the Holy Ghost, world without 
end. Amen, 

ON THE SEVENTH DAY. 

OMNIPOTENT God, who descendest from hea- 
ven to bring fire on the earth ! inflame my frozen 
heart, that I may imitate the virtues of St. Joseph. 
As a poor wretch at the gate of some noble and gene- 
rous prince, expecting an alms, so I appear before thee, 
wounded in all my senses by sin, and imploring 
charity in my great distress. I grieve for what is 
passed, not because I fear, but because I love. No- 
thing has succeeded with me, because I never con- 
sulted thee as I ought : I hope, O Lord ! that I do not 
come too late. I beg, through the intercession of St. 
Joseph, that I may avoid evil, and do good; that I 
may leave the broad way of iniquity, and walk in the 
narrow road that leads to eternal happiness ; that I 
may consecrate the remaining days of my short life to 
thy honor, and attain the end for which I was created 
— to admire, praise, and love thee, for ever and ever. 
Amen. 

ON THE EIGHTH DAY. 

OMOST glorious Patriarch, my dear Patron ! 
blessed are the eyes that see what you now see. 
Through the infinite merits of Christ, and by your 
powerful intercession, I hope, with holy Job, that in 
my flesh I shall see God my Saviour. Stretch out in 
favor of your unworthy client, those happy arms, that 
so often bore the Son of God, and provided for him. 
Petition that I may live, as I wish to die, always in 
the divine favor. I humbly implore you to entreat 



NOVENA TO ST. JOSEPH. 



475 



your immaculate Spouse, to unite her supplications 
with yours, that I may be of the blessed number of 
the elect. I most sincerely desire that you may be 
present at the dreadful hour of my death ; and that the 
last words uttered by my parting breath, may be Je- 
sus, Mary and Joseph. 

Thy mercy is above all thy works, O most holy 
Trinity ! I now appeal from the tribunal of thy jus- 
tice, and prostrate myself before the throne of thy 
mercy, to obtain the pardon of my sins, and grace to 
persevere in keeping thy commandments to the end of 
my life : Who livest and reignest one God, for ever 
and ever. Amen. 

ON THE NINTH DAY. 

TTOLY St. Joseph, you who are that good and 
i~l faithful servant, to whom God committed the 
care of his family ; whom he appointed guardian and 
protector of the life of Jesus Christ, the comfort and 
support of his holy Mother, and the depository of his 
great design of the redemption of mankind ; you who 
had the happiness of living with Jesus and Mary, and 
of dying in their arms ; chaste spouse of the Mother 
of God ; model and patron of pure souls, humble, 
patient and reserved ; be moved with the confidence 
we place in your intercession, and accept with kind- 
ness this testimony of our devotion. 

We give thanks to God for the signal favor he hath 
been pleased to confer on you, and we conjure him, 
through your intercession, to enable us to imitate your 
virtues. Pray for us, then, great Saint ; and by that 
love which you had for Jesus and Mary, and by the 
love which they had for you, obtain for us the incom- 
parable happiness of living and dying in the love of 
Jesus and Mary. Amen. 



476 



CHAPLET OF ST. JOSEPH. 



A VOTIVE OBLATION TO ST. JOSEPH, TO 
CHOOSE HIM FOR OUR PATRON. 

OHOLY Joseph, virgin spouse of the virgin Mo- 
ther of God, most glorious advocate of all such 
as are in danger, or in their last agony, and most faith- 
ful protector of all the servants of Mary, your dearest 
spouse ! I, iV., in the presence of Jesus and Mary, do, 
from this moment, choose you for my powerful patron 
and advocate, in order that I may obtain the grace of 
a most happy death : I firmly resolve and purpose 
never to forsake you ; nor to say, or do any thing 
against your honor. Receive me, therefore, for your 
constant servant, and recommend me to the constant 
protection of Mary, your dearest spouse, and to the 
everlasting mercies of Jesus my Saviour. Assist me 
in all the actions of my life ; I now offer them to the 
greater and everlasting glory of Jesus and Mary, as 
well as to your own. 

THE CHAPLET OF ST. JOSEPH. 

In the name of the Father, &c. 

y . Thou, Lord, wilt open my lips. 

And my tongue shall announce thy praise, 
y . Incline unto my aid, God. 
R. O Lord, make haste to help me. 
Glory be to the Father, &c. 

On the large beads, say the Glory be to the Father, 
fyc, and the Our Father ,• and on the small beads, 
Glorious Patriarch St. Joseph, Foster Father of Jesus, 
and Spouse of the ever-immaculate Mother of God, pray 
for us now and at the hour of our death ; — and finish 
the Ohaplet by saying : Pray for us, holy St. Joseph, 
that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ 
and the prayer which the holy Church makes use of 
in her divine Office: Assist us, Lord, by the interces- 
sion, §rc., as at the end of the Litany of St. Joseph. 



LITANY OF ST. VINCENT OF PAUL. 477 



ANOTHER METHOD OF RECITING THE CHAPLET OF 
ST. JOSEPH. 

It is said as above, except on the large beads is recited 
the Hail Mary instead of the Our Father : and on the 
small beads instead of Glorious Patriarch, d/C, is said, 
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist us now and at the hour of 
our death. 



THE LITANY OE ST. VINCENT OF PAUL. 

LORD, have mercy on us. 
Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Jesus, hear us. 
Jesus, graciously hear us. 
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us. 
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us 
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us. 
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. 
Holy Mary, pray for us. 

Holy Mary, Mother of Christ, the Sovereign Priest, 
St. Vincent, who, from your infancy, walked in the 
presence of God, 

St. Vincent, most benevolent to all, 
St. Vincent, chaste and pure, 

St. Vincent, watchful shepherd of the flocks en- 
trusted to your care, 

St. Vincent, who so faithfully preached the gospel 
to the poor, 

St. Vincent, who brought your disciples to the 
practice of all good works, 

St. Vincent, the glory of the priesthood, 
St, Vincent, humble amidst the honors of the world, 
St. Vincent, careful imitator of Jesus Christ, 
St. Vincent, alleviator of human misery, 
St. Vincent, refuge and comforter of the afflicted, 
St. Vincent, feeder of the hungry, 
St. Vincent, friend of the sick, 
St. Vincent, father of orphans, 
St. Vincent, refuge of purity, and security of inno- 
cence, 



478 LITANY OF ST. PETER. 

St. Vincent, zealous seeker of wandering souls, 
St. Vincent, restorer of the beauty of ecclesiastical 
discipline, 

St. Vincent, like an Angel at the altar, 
St. Vincent, strong in holy obedience and faith, 
St. Vincent, burning with zeal for the glory of God, J 
Lamb of God, &c. 
Lamb of God, &c. 
Lamb of God, &c. 
1 f r . He made himself all to all. 
9^. Let us walk in his footsteps. 

LET US PRAY. 

JESUS, meek and humble of heart ! since only hum- 
ble souls can give glory to thy holy name, and the 
dwelling of thy glory will be for ever shut against me, un- 
less I become truly humble : grant me humility, which 
alone can merit thy grace, and secure me a place in the 
eternal kingdom. Pardon me, O my God ! the manifold 
sins, which I have committed through pride ; and grant 
me a contempt for myself, proportioned to the pride which 
has so far enslaved me, but which I now detest so sin- 
cerely. I beg this favor through the intercession of our 
holy Father St. Vincent, who was truly meek and humble. 
Ame7i. 



LITANY OF ST. PETER. 

LORD, have mercy on us. 
Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
.Christ, hear us. 
Christ, graciously hear us. 
God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us. 
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy, &c. 
God, the Holy Ghost, have mercy, &c. 
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy, &c. 
Holy Mary, Mother of God, 
Queen conceived without sin, 
St. Peter, 

Prince of the Apostles, 

St. Peter, to whom were given the keys of the king- 
dom of heaven, 



LITANY OF ST. MARY MAGDALEN. 479 

St. Peter, so ardent for the glory of Christ, 
St. Peter, whose heart was pierced with one look 
from Jesus, 

St. Peter, who ceased not to grieve for having de- 
nied the Son of God, 

St. Peter, whose cheeks were furrowed by a stream 
of tears which flowed to the end of your life, 

St. Peter, who cried out — "Lord, thou knowest 
that I love thee !" 

St. Peter, bound in chains for Christ, 
St. Peter, delivered from prison by an angel, 
St. Peter, who rejoiced to suffer for Christ, 
St. Peter, whose very shadow healed the sick, 
St. Peter, whose voice even the dead obeyed, 
That we may have a constant, mutual charity 
among ourselves, 

That we may taste and see, more and more, how 
sweet is the Lord, 

That we may be prudent, and watch in prayer, 
That we may die the death of the just, 
Lamb of God, &c, three times. 

LET US PRAY. 

GLORIOUS Apostle, who received the power of 
loosing and binding, pray for us, that, being free from 
all sin, we may live and die in the grace of God. Obtain 
then for us a perfect faith, firm hope, and ardent charity, 
that as we draw nearer to the close of life, we may daily 
grow in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ. Guide 
us, O blessed Apostle, through all the dangers of this 
exile, till fear and grief be over. humble martyr of 
Christ ! you who now behold him, not as on Thabor, but 
in the full splendor of his glory, pray for us now and at the 
hour of death. O then come, blessed Apostle, and take 
us to Jesus, that we too may love eternally. Amen. 



LITANY OF ST. MARY MAGDALEN, 

LORD, have mercy on us. 
• Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ, hear us. 
Christ, graciously hear us 



> 5fi 



480 LITANY OF ST. MARY MAGDALEN. 



God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us. 

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy, &c 

God, the Holy Ghost, have mercy, &c. 

Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy, &c. 

Holy Mary, Mother of God, 

Refuge of sinners, 

Queen, conceived without sin, 

St. Mary Magdalen, 

St. Mary Magdalen, model of true penitents, 
St. Mary Magdalen, who made no delay in return- 
ing to God, 

St. Mary Magdalen, who, being once converted, 
despised all earthly pleasures, 

St. Mary Magdalen, who had no other grief but that 
of having offended infinite goodness, 

St. Mary Magdalen, who turned all that had served 
to sin into proofs of love and sorrow, 

St. Mary Magdalen, whose eyes, once instruments 
of sin, are now bathed in tears at Jesus' feet, 

St. Mary Magdalen, whose lips, once defiled, are 
now made pure by the hallowed kiss of Jesus' feet, 

St. Mary Magdalen, whose hands, once sinful, are 
now made holy by the sacred touch of Jesus' feet, 

St. Mary Magdalen, whose hair, once adorned to 
please creatures, is now used to wipe Jesus' feet, 

St. Mary Magdalen, whose penance was a irue 
holocaust to divine love, 

St. Mary Magdalen, who heard the blessed words — 
*A Thy sins are forgiven," 

St. Mary Magdalen, who left Jesus' feet with the 
consoling words — " Go in peace !" 

St. Mary Magdalen, who followed Jesus even to 
Calvary, 

St. Mary Magdalen, who assisted at the agony of 
Jesus, 

St. Mary Magdalen, who received drops of blood 
falling from the cross, 

St. Mary Magdalen, who heard the loud cry — "All 
is consummated !" 

St. Mary Magdalen, who saw Jesus expiring, 

St. Mary Magdalen, who mingled thy tears with 
those of the sorrowful Mother, 

St. Mary Magdalen, who went early to the sepul- 
chre, to embalm the body of Jesus, 



LITANY OF ST. THERESA. 



481 



St. Mary Magdalen, who, in thy grief, noticed not ^ 

the bright host of heaven, £ 

St. Mary Magdalen, who would not be comforted I *< 
until the life-giving voice had said : " Mary !" f o 5 

St. Mary Magdalen, who wast the first apostle of ^ 

the resurrection, J « 

Lamb of God, &c, three times. 



LET US PRAY. 

OMY God ! may thy love be the sole principle of my 
penance. Let my sorrow be to have offended thee, 
my supreme good, my first beginning and last end. May 
my tears flow from a heart wounded with love. I grieve 
for the past, and firmly resolve never more to offend thee : 

" Not that in heaven my home may be, 
Nor lest I die eternally, 
Nor from the hope of joy above me, 
But even as thyself didst love me, 
So love I, and will ever love thee, 

Because thou art my God, my King, for evermore." Amen. 



THE LITANY OF ST. THERESA. 

LORD, have mercy on us. 
Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ, hear us. 
Christ, graciously hear its. 
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us. 
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us 
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us. 
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. 
Holy Mary, pray for us. 
Holy Mother of God, 
Holy Virgin of virgins, 

St. Theresa, whose heart was filled with the love of 
God, 

St. Theresa, most humble servant of God, 
St. Theresa, most zealous for the glory of God, 
St. Theresa, woman truly strong in mind, 
St. Theresa, truly detached from all created objects, 



482 



LITANY OF ST. PHILOMENA. 



St. Theresa, great light of the Catholic Church, 
St. Theresa, who wished to suffer or to die, 
St. Theresa, who exclaimed : O Lord ! how sweet 

and pleasing are thy ways, 

St. Theresa, who desired so much the salvation of 

souls, 

St. Theresa, who tasted and saw how sweet is the 
Lord, even in this vale of miseries, 

St. Theresa, who said : death ! who can fear thee, 
since thou art the way to true life, 

St. Theresa, true lover of the cross of Christ, 

St. Theresa, who lived to love, died to love, and 
will love eternally, 

f. Pray for us, O holy St. Theresa ! 

P?. That we may be made worthy of the promises of 
Christ. 



LET US PRAY. 



OGOD, who didst replenish the heart of thy blessed 
servant St. Theresa with the treasures of thy divine 
love ! grant, that like her, we may love and suffer all things 
for thee, and in union with thee : that we may gain souls 
to thee, and secure our own, by the faithful observance of 
our holy rules ; this we beg through the merits of our Sa- 
viour, and the intercession of thy glorious servant, St. 
Theresa. Amen. 



THE LITANY OF ST. PHILOMENA. 

LORD, have mercy on us. 
Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ, hear us. 
Christ, graciously hear us. 
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us. 
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy onus. 
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us. 
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. 
Holy Mary, pray for us. 

St. Philomena, child of benediction, pray, &c. 
St. Philomena, the daughter of light, pf^y, &c. 



LITANY OF ST. PHIL OMEN A. 483 



St. Philomena, who from infancy' chose Jesus Christ 
for your spouse, 

St. Philomena, who despised with heroic courage 
the greatest honors, in order to remain faithful to 
Christ, 

St. Philomena, whose faith and love for Jesus Christ 
could not be shaken, either by promises or threats, 

St. Philomena, whose constancy could not be di- 
minished, either by the supplications of a father, or 
the tenderness of a mother, 

St. Philomena, who by your love of sufferings, 
merited to be consoled by Jesus, 

St. Philomena, whose ardor to endure new torments 
augmented every day, 

St. Philomena, whom God confided to the care of 
Angels, and who by their assistance defeated the 
rage of your persecutors, 

St. Philomena, whose glory God was pleased to 
manifest by continual wonders, 

St. Philomena, who endured several kinds of mar- 
tyrdom from the different punishments you suffered, 

St. Philomena, who, by your example, drew many 
souls to Faith, 

St. Philomena, bound to a pillar and struck with 
reeds, 

St. Philomena, perfect model of Christian virgins, 
St. Philomena, special protectress of those who 
honor you, 

St. Philomena, whom the Church honors and re- 
veres as an illustrious virgin and martyr of Jesus 
Christ, 

St. Philomena, now in possession of immortal honor, m 
Lamb of God, &c. 
T. Pray for us, St. Philomena ! 

P. That we may, like you, consecrate our entire lives 
to the love of Jesus. 

LET US PRAY. 

GLORIOUS virgin and martyr, whose glory God 
has been pleased to manifest by shining miracles ! we 
address ourselves to you with entire confidence. Obtain 
for us, that, following your example, we may generously 
combat all that opposes the reign of Jesus Christ in our 
hearts, that he may ornament them with thy virtues, with 



484 



LIT AN V OF ST. PAUL. 



that angelic purity of which you are so perfect a model ; in 
order that, enkindled with a love for Jesus, we may walk 
constantly in the way he has pointed out to us, and par- 
take one day of your eternal felicity. Amen. 

♦ 

THE LITANY OF ST. PAUL. 

LORD, have mercy on us. 
Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ, hear us. 
Christ, graciously hear us. 
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us. 
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy onus. 
God, the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us. 
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. 
Holy Mary, Mother of God, 
Queen, conceived without sin, 
St. Paul, vessel of election, 
Apostle of the Gentiles, 
St. Paul, who wast rapt to the third heaven, 
St. Paul, who heard things not given to man to 
utter. 

St. Paul, who knew nothing but Christ, and him 
crucified, 

St. Paul, whose love for Christ was stronger than 
death, 

St. Paul, who wished to be dissolved and be with 
Christ, I 
St. Paul, whose zeal knew no bounds, ® 
St. Paul, who made thyself all to all, to gain all to g 
Christ, 

St. Paul, who called thyself prisoaw of Christ for us, 
St. Paul, who wast jealous of us, with the jealousy 
of God, 

St. Paul, who gloried in the Cross of Christ, 
St. Paul, who bore in thy body the mortification of 
Christ, 

St. Paul, who exclaimed: 11 With Christ I am 
nailed to the cross /" 
That we may awake and sin no more, 
That we may not receive the grace of God in vain, - 



LITANY OF ST. STEPHEN. 485 

That we walk in newness of life 

That we may work out our salvation with fear and 
trembling, 

That we may put on the armor of God, 

That we may stand against the deceits of the 
wicked one, 

That we may stand fast to the last, 

That we may press forward to the mark, 

That we may win the crown, 

Lamb of God, &c, three times. 



LET US PRAY. 

GLORIOUS Apostle and martyr of Christ, chosen 
by him to call us to the light of the Gospel, and 
the knowledge of the true and living God, obtain for us 
a perfect faith, firm hope, and ardent charity, that bear- 
ing always in our flesh the mortification of Christ, we may 
walk before God with simplicity, meekness, and humility, 
and thus press towards the mark — ' ' the glorious city whose 
builder and maker is God." 

O blessed Apostle, be our guide, whilst we travel 
through the dark and stormy night of life, till this corrupt- 
ible put on insorruption, and this mortal put on immortality . 
Amen. 



LITANY OF ST. STEPHEN, FIRST MARTYR, 

LORD, have mercy on us. 
Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ, hear us. 
Christ, graciously hear us. 
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us. 
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us 
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us. 
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. 
St. Stephen, first martyr, 1 h d 

St. Stephen, who suffered for preaching the name 
of Jesus Christ, 

St. Stephen, who so closely imitated Jesus Christ 
in that great virtue of charity for your enemies, 

41* 



p 



486 



LITANY OF ST. STEPHEN. 



St. Stephen, who, when stoned by your enemies, 
cast forth sparks, not of anger, but of love, to set on 
fire their hearts, harder than the stones which they 
threw, 

St. Stephen, having recommended your own soul 
to God, cried for your enemies. Pardon them, O 
Lord, and punish them not for their sins, 

St. Stephen, most zealous for the glory of God, 
St. Stephen, most patient and constant, 
St. Stephen, pattern of chastity and purity, 
St. Stephen, whose heavenly fortitude caused ad- 
miration in all, 

St. Stephen, by whom so many miracles were 
wrought, 

St. Stephen, who, in the love of God, was not in- 
ferior to the Apostles themselves, 

St. Stephen, who converted many to the faith of 
Christ, 

St. Stephen, by whom the Church has received 
and does continually receive such singular benefits, 

St. Stephen, of whom it is said, that the Holy 
Ghost, who inhabited your soul, shone and darted 
forth his rays into your body, 

St. Stephen, whose face shone like that of an angel, 

St. Stephen, an angel in chastity, 

St. Stephen, full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, 

St. Stephen, dear to the heart of Jesus, 



LET US PRAY. 

O GLORIOUS saint, faithful imitator of Jesus Christ, 
martyr in will and in reality, so full of charity, zeal, 
love, and purity, deign to intercede for us poor exiles ; you 
who are so high in the favor of God, we do entreat you to 
procure for us a little spark of that divine love which ani- 
mated your heart, that we too one day may have the hap- 
piness of seeing our God face to face. 

Oh ! obtain for us that virtue for which you were so 
eminent, and which in our holy vocation is particularly re- 
quired — CHARITY. 



LITANY OF ST. BERNARD. 



LORD, have mercy on us. 
Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ, hear us. 
Christ, graciously hear us. 
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us. 
God the Son, have mercy, &c. 
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy, &c. 
Holy Trinity, have mercy, &c. 
Holy Mary, Mother of God, 
Queen, conceived without sin, 
St. Bernard, 

St. Bernard, who, in giving thyself to God, drew 
many souls to him, 
St. Bernard, prodigy of the eleventh age, 
St. Bernard, ornament of the clergy, 
St. Bernard, terror of heretics, 
St. Bernard, oracle of the Church, 
St. Bernard, light of bishops, 
St. Bernard, most humble, 

St. Bernard, burning with zeal for the glory of God, 
St. Bernard, most ardent for the honor of Mary, 
St. Bernard, most beloved son of the queen of 
angels, > 
St. Bernard, most pure in body and mind, 
St. Bernard, perfect model of poverty and mortifica- 
tion, 

St. Bernard, most ardent in charity to all, 
St. Bernard, who feared God and not earthly 
powers, 

St. Bernard, whose whole exterior breathed holi- 
ness, 

St. Bernard, whose very look spoke of God, 
St. Bernard, flower of religious, 
St. Bernard, who never lost sight of the presence 
of God, 

St. Bernard, angel of Claravallis, 
St. Bernard, always absorbed in God, 
Lamb of God, &c, three times. 



487 



4SS 



DEVOTION'S TO ST. ALOYSIUS. 



LET TS PRAY. 

GREAT saint ! who, from the very dawn of life, 
turned all the powers of thy soul, and the noble affec- 
tions of thy pure and loving heart, towards thy Creator ; 
angel clothed in mortal flesh, who appeared in this valley 
of tears as a bright lily of purity, to shed around thee the 
good odor of Christ, to show to all the beauty of virtue, 
and to point out to thousands the way to heaven — O pray 
for us, that, truly despising all terrene objects, we may 
live to God alone. Amen. 

# 

DEVOTIONS TO ST. ALOYSIUS. 

AFTER the canonization of the angelical youth Aloysi- 
us, which was decreed by his Holiness Benedict XIII, 
with a particular view, among many other laudable mo- 
tives, to offer to the imitation and veneration, especially 
of young persons, a youth most conspicuous for his inno- 
cence of life ; the younger persons were not the only vota- 
ries of a saint, who seemed to be appointed their peculiar 
patron. The devotion soon became general and common 
to all. In order to promote and encourage the same, 
Clement XII extended the plenary indulgence granted by 
his predecessor, to any one, who on his feast should go to 
his altar ; and to those also who should pray before an 
altar, where his feast happened to be kept. 

Heaven seemed to give its sanction to this zeal of the 
faithful, by frequent and wonderful favors obtained through 
his powerful intercession, and the pious custom of assign- 
ing six Sundays without intermission, in honor of the 
saint, and in memory of the six years he had lived in the 
society of Jesus, was introduced and observed. How 
agreeable this devotion was, St. Aloysius has shown by 
many and very signal blessings bestowed on his clients ; 
so that the same Clement XII, as he speaks himself, to 
nourish so salutary a practice towards St. Alovsius, ap- 
proved from heaven by many favors, as well spiritual as 
temporal, has granted plenary indulgences on each of the 
above Sundays to them, who, by true and sincere re- 
pentance, by a worthy communion, by a serious application 
to mental or vocal prayer, and other good works of piety, 



DEVOTIONS TO ST. ALOYSIUS. 



489 



performed in honor of the saint and directed to the greater 
glory of God, shall sanctify the said days. 

The manner of performing the devotion of the six Sun- 
days, preceding his festival, is as follows : — 

1. On each of these Sundays let the person, who per- 
forms this devotion, choose St. Aloysius for his patron, and 
receive the Sacraments of penance, and the holy Eucharist. 

2. On each of the Sundays, let him be present either at 
some confraternity or sodality, or at least hear a Mass in 
honor of the Saint. 

3. Let him recite on each of the Sundays, either before 
some image of the Saint, or in the Church, six Paters and 
Aves, with the Gloria Patri, the Litany of the Saint, &c. 

4. Let him perform some work of mercy, spiritual or 
corporal, according to his ability, and as his devotion shall 
suggest. 

5. Let him spend some time in meditating, and for the 
subject of his meditation on each of the Sundays, let him 
take one of the virtues, which St. Bonaventure finds ex- 
pressed in the wings of the Seraphim seen by the prophet 
Isaiah. These virtues are : compunction of heart, purity 
of mind, love of God, and love of our neighbor. With 
these virtues, as with so many wings, did the angelical 
youth, Aloysius, fly to that height of perfection, so as to re- 
semble, in some manner, the very angels themselves. 

THE DEVOUT CLIENT'S ADDRESS TO SAINT ALOYSIUS. 

ANGELICAL youth, Aloysius, by the particular ap- 
pointment of God's vicar upon earth, patron of those 
who apply to studies : thou who hast illustrated the 
Church by a holy contempt of an earthly principality, but 
more by the innocence of tny manners, sanctity of thy life, 
and glory of thy miracles, allow me, from this day, to 
choose and adopt thee, patron and protector of my life and 
studies, firmly resolved to follow the example and pattern, 
as well of piety as of industry, thou hast put before me. 
For the love thou hadst for Christ crucified, and his most 
blessed Mother, receive me as thy client and obedient ser- 
vant ; aid and assist me in the pursuit of virtue and learn- 
ing ; nourish and increase in me a purity of body and mind ; 
turn off the snares laid against my chastity ; ward and de- 
fend me against the dangers of the world ; inspire my heart 
with a true and filial confidence in the ever-blessed Virgin 
Mary, the Mother of good counsel ; govern and direct me 



490 DEVOTIONS TO ST. ALOYSIUS. 



in my choice of a state of life, and let the grace of God be 
my perpetual defence against all mortal sin : that as thou 
always livedst in a purity and integrity truly angelical, so 
assisted by thy patronage, and aided by the grace of God, 
I may live chastely and holily in this world, and deserve to 
be associated with thee and joined to the company of the 
angels in heaven. Amen. 

Recite six Paters and Aves, with the Gloria Patri. 



LITANY OF ST. ALOYSIUS. 

LORD, have mercy on us. 
Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ, hear us. 
Christ, Graciously hear us. 
God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us. 
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, nave mercy on us. 
God, the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us. 
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. 
Holy Mary, 
Holy Mother of God, 
Holy Virgin of virgins, 
St. Aloysius, 
Most beloved of Christ, 
The delight of the blessed Virgin, 
Most chaste youth, 
Angelic youth, 
Most humble youth, 
Model of young students, 
Despiser of riches, 
Enemy of vanities, 
Scorner of honors, 
Honor of princes, 
Jewel of the nobility, 
Flower of innocence, 
Ornament of a religious state, 
Mirror of mortification, 
Mirror of perfect obedience, 
Lover of evangelical poverty, 
Most affectionately devout, 
Most zealous observer of rules, 
Most desirous of the salvation of souls, 



OF THE AGNUS DEI. 



491 



Perpetual adorer of the holy Eucharist, pray for us. 
Particular client of St. Ignatius, pray, &c. 
Be merciful, spare us, O Lord. 
Be merciful, hear us, O Lord. 

From the concupiscence of the eyes, O Lord, deliver us. 

From the concupiscence of the flesh, O Lord, deliver us. 

From the pride of life, O Lord, deliver us. 

Through the merits and intercession of St. Aloysius, 
Lord, deliver us. 

Through his angelical purity, O Lord, deliver us. 

Through his sanctity and glory, O Lord, deliver us. 

We sinners, beseech thee to hear us. 

Lamb of God, &c. 

Christ, hear us. 

Christ, graciously hear us. 

'f r . Pray for us, St. Aloysius, 

That we may be made worthy of the promises of 
Christ. 

LET US PRAY. 

OGOD ! the distributor of heavenly gifts ; who didst 
unite in the angelic youth Aloysius, wonderful inno- 
cence of life, with an equal severity of penance ; grant 
through his merits and prayers that we, who have not fol- 
lowed the example of his innocence, may imitate his 
practice of penance ; through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 

« 

OF THE AGNUS DEI. 

AN Agnus Dei is a little cake made of virgin wax, 
blessed by the Pope on the first Low Sunday after his 
inauguration, and afterwards every seventh year on the 
same day. The ceremonies used by the Sovereign Pontiff 
on this occasion, are of great antiquity in the Church. 
Mention is made of them in the Roman Ordo, which, in 
the judgment of the learned, is anterior to the eighth cen- 
tury. The ceremonial of the Church of Rome prescribes 
the matter, the form and prayers of this consecration ; and 
even explains their mystical significations. 

The Agnus Dei is made of the whitest and purest virgin 
wax, a symbol of human nature, which the Son of God 
was pleased to assume by the operation of the Holy Ghost 



492 



OF THE AGNUS DEI. 



in the chaste womb of the most holy Virgin. On the wax 
is impressed the image of the spotless Lamb of God, im- 
molated for us on the altar of the Cross. Holy water is 
used, because with that element, God, both in the Old and 
New Testaments, wrought very great prodigies, and it is 
the matter of the Sacrament of our regeneration. Balsam 
is also used, to signify that Christians, in all their words 
and actions, ought to be the good odor of Jesus Christ. 
Lastly, use is made of the holy Chrism, with which the 
Church consecrates all those things which are especially 
destined to the divine worship, as churches, altars, priests, 
&c. Chrism is also an emblem of charity, the most sub- 
lime of virtues. 

The Sovereign Pontiff dips these wax cakes into the 
water which he has previously blessed, and in which he 
has poured and mixed the balsam and holy Chrism. Before 
and after the immersions, he addresses his prayers to God ; 
beseeching him to bless, sanctify and consecrate this wax, 
and to pour upon it such virtue as to enable those who 
will use it piously, and preserve it with devotion and faith, 
to obtain the following graces : 

1. That, seeing and touching with faith the image of the 
Lamb impressed on the wax, they may be excited by these 
exterior symbols to a remembrance of the mysteries of our 
redemption ; to sentiments of adoration, gratitude and love, 
for the infinite goodness of God towards men ; and to a 
firm hope and confidence that, through the divine mercy, 
their sins will be forgiven, and their souls cleansed from 
all the defilements of sin. 

2. That, at the sight of the sign of the Cross impressed 
on this blessed wax, the evil Spirits, seized with fright, 
may fly away from the servants of God ; and that, by virtue 
of the same, they may be protected against storms, winds, 
hail, whirlwinds and lightning. 

3. That, by an effect of this divine benediction, we may 
be enabled to discover the artifices of Satan, to resist his 
suggestions, and to avoid his snares. 

4. That the same blessing may procure for pregnant 
women, a happy deliverance, and the preservation of their 
offspring. 

5. That they who will make a pious use of the Agnus 
Dei, may be protected from adversity, pestilence, the cor- 
ruption of the air, the falling sickness, shipwreck, fire, in- 
undations, and all malignant influence. 



PRAYERS FOR VARIOUS OCCASIONS. 493 



6. That, in prosperity as well as in adversity, we may 
be defended by the divine power against all the snares of 
men and devils ; that we may be preserved from a sudden 
and unprovided death, and from all dangers, through the 
mysteries of the life and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

A great number of miracles have placed it beyond all 
doubt, that the Author of all good gifts pours his graces 
and favors on faithful souls, by the means of these wax 
images of the divine Lamb, as an effect of the blessing of 
the Sovereign Pontiff, Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth, and 
of the prayers which he offers to God in the name of the 
whole Church. If, therefore, those who carry about them 
an Agnus Dei, do not always obtain the effects of these 
prayers, they must ascribe it only to their want of faith, or 
ill-directed devotion. God may also have, in his adorable 
heart, secret reasons not to hear our prayers : it is often 
for his glory and our salvation, that he refuses to grant our 
request. 

A PRAYER TO BE DAILY SAID BY THOSE WHO CARRY 
ABOUT THEM AN AGNUS DEI. 

OMY Lord Jesus Christ, the true Lamb that takest 
away the sins of the world ! by thy mercy, which 
is infinite, pardon my iniquities ; and by thy sacred 
passion preserve me this day from all sin and evil. I 
carry about me this holy Agnus Dei in thy honor, as 
a preservative against my own weakness, and as an 
incentive to the practice of meekness, humility and 
innocence, which, thou hast taught. I offer myself up 
to thee as an entire oblation, and in memory of that 
sacrifice of love which thou offeredst for me on the 
cross, and in satisfaction for my sins. Accept, my 
God, the oblation I make, and may it be agreeable to 
thee in the odor of sweetness. Amen. 

A PRAYER FOR THE POPE AND FOR THE CHURCH. 

O JESUS, invisible head of that Church, which 
thou hast built upon a rock, and against which 
thou hast promised that the gates of hell shall never 
prevail ! preserve, strengthen and guide him, whom 
thou hast appointed its visible head. Grant that he 



494 PRAYERS FOR VARIOUS OCCASIONS. 

may be the model as well as the pastor of thy flock. 
May he be the first in holiness, as well as dignity. 
May he be the worthy Vicar of thy charity, as well as 
of thy authority. Inspire him with an ardent desire 
for thy glory and for the salvation of souls ; and give 
him faithful and zealous co-operators, who, by their 
example and words, will move and convert sinners ; 
confirm the just, and lead them through the dangers of 
this life, to the mansions of eternal bliss. Amen, amen. 

A PRAYER FOR ONE'S CONFESSOR. 

IN asking of thee, my God, the graces of which 
I am in need, can I, without ingratitude, forget be- 
fore thee, him whom thou hast chosen from among 
thy ministers, to reconcile me to thee by the sacra- 
ment of penance, justly called the second plank after 
shipwreck 1 

Deign, I beseech thee, my God, to adorn his soul 
with the virtues befitting the functions of the awful 
ministry with which thou hast invested him. Grant 
him the faith of St. Peter, the charity of St. Paul, the 
firmness of St. Chrysostom, the Evangelical liberty 
of St. Ambrose, the lights of St. Augustin, the piety 
of St. Bernard, the zeal of St. Charles Borromeo, the 
mildness of St. Francis of Sales, and the humility of 
St. Vincent of Paul. 

Guide him thyself, O Lord, in all his actions, that 
after having been here below a prudent and faithful 
dispenser of thy mysteries, he may hereafter receive 
from thy bountiful hands, the bright crown thou hast 
promised in a blessed eternity, to the priests who shall 
have consecrated their lives to bring back their fellow- 
creatures from the ways of error, and to conduct them 
in the paths of justice and peace., Amen. 

A PRAYER TO THE MONTHLY PATRON. 

/~\ THOU blessed inhabitant of the heavenly Jeru- 




appointed by the divine 



PRAYERS FOR VARIOUS OCCASIONS. 495 



Goocness to be my patron during this month ; receive 
me under thy protection ; defend me by thy interces- 
sion from all dangers of soul and body ; obtain that I 
may be a faithful imitator of thy virtues, and that the 
fire of divine love may be more and more kindled in 
my heart. 

if. Pray for us, St. N. 

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises 
of Christ. 

LET US PRAY. 

ALL merciful God ! who on each month assignest 
me, through thy infinite love, one of the hea- 
venly citizens as my advocate and patron, graciously 
vouchsafe, that, by the intercession of St. N. whom 
thy goodness has appointed to be my model and pro- 
tector during this month, I, N. and also N. iV., {men- 
tion the persons for whom you pray,) may feel an 
augmentation of thy grace; and fortified with the 
same, may steadfastly exercise the virtue of N. which 
his example teaches and inspires : through Jesus 
Christ, our Lord. Amen. 

FRAYER TO KNOW ONE'S VOCATION. 

ALMIGHTY God! whose wise and amiable 
providence watches over every human event, 
deign to be my light and my counsel in all my un- 
dertakings, particularly in the choice of a state of 
life. I know that on this important step my sanctifi- 
cation and salvation may in a great measure depend. 
I know that I am incapable of discerning what may 
be best for me : therefore I cast myself into thy arms, 
beseeching thee, my God, who hast sent me into this 
world only to love and serve thee, to direct by thy 
grace every moment and action of my life to the glo- 
rious end of my creation. I renounce most sincerely 
every other wish than to fulfil thy designs on my 
soul, whatever they may be ; and I beseech thee to 



496 PRAYERS FOR VARIOUS OCCASIONS. 



give me the grace, by imbibing the true spirit of a 
Christian, to qualify myself for any station thy adora- 
ble providence may assign me. my God ! when- 
ever it may become my duty to make a choice, do 
thou be my light and my counsel, and mercifully 
deign to "make the way known to me wherein I 
should walk, for I have lifted up my soul to thee." 
Preserve me from listening to the suggestions of my 
own self-love, or worldly prudence, in prejudice to 
thy holy inspirations. Let "thy good Spirit lead 
me into the right way," and thy adorable providence 
place me, not where I may be happiest, according to 
the world, but in that state in which I shall love and 
serve thee most perfectly, and meet with most abund- 
ant means for working out my salvation. This is all 
that I ask, and all that I desire ; for what would it 
avail me to gain the whole world, if in the end I were 
to lose my soul, and be so unfortunate as to prefer 
temporal advantages and worldly honors to the enjoy- 
ment of thy divine presence in a happy eternity? 

A PRAYER TO IMPLORE THE DIVINE ASSISTANCE AT 
THE BEGINNING OF AN UNDERTAKING. 

I COME to thee, Jesus! before I set about this 
undertaking, to consecrate it to the glory of thy 
eternal Father, and to implore thy succor, that it may 
be executed in the manner most agreeable to him. 
Thou knowest that without thee I can do nothing: 



I may accomplish the will of thy heavenly Father, 
observe faithfully all the laws of justice, and keep 
myself free from sin in the execution of this under- 
taking. Conduct it by thy wisdom, execute it by thy 
power, and bring every thing to a happy issue, through 
thy infinite goodness, to the glory of thy Father, and 
to the eternal salvation of my soul. Amen. 




necessary assistance whereby 



PRAYERS FOR VARIOUS OCCASIONS. 497 



A PRAYER FOR RAIN. 

OGOD, in whom we live, and move, and have 
our being, grant to us, we beseech thee, compe- 
tent rain, that, partaking sufficiently of thy temporal 
blessings, we may the more confidently desire ever- 
lasting things. Through our Lord Jesus Christ. 
Amen. 

A PRAYER IN ANY NECESSITY. 

OGOD, our refuge and our strength, vouchsafe to 
hear the devout prayers of thy church, thou who 
art the author of all devotion ; and grant that what we 
ask with faith we may effectually obtain. Through 
our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 

IN THE TIME OF FAMINE AND PESTILENCE. 

GRANT us, we beseech thee, Lord, the effect 
of our prayer, and mercifully turn away from 
thy servants all pestilence and famine, that the hearts 
of men may know that such scourges proceed from 
thy indignation, and cease by thy mercy. Through 
our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 

A PRAYER AGAINST, OR IN TIME OF, AN EARTH- 
QUAKE. 

ALMIGHTY and eternal God, who lookest on 
the earth, and makest it tremble, spare those who 
fear thee, be merciful to those who supplicate thee, 
that we who have dreaded thy wrath, shaking the 
foundations of the earth, may continually experience 
thy clemency, healing its breaches. 

Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 

PRAYERS FOR A WOMAN IN A STATE OF PREGNANCY. 

OLORD God Almighty! Creator of heaven and 
earth! who hast made us all out of nothing, and re- 
deemed us by the precious blood of thy only Son ! look 
down upon thy poor handmaid, here prostrate before 

42* 



498 PRAYERS FOR VARIOUS OCCASIONS. 



thee, humbly imploring thy mercy, and begging thy 
blessing for herself and her child, which thou hast 
given her to conceive. Preserve, I beseech thee, the 
work of thy hands, and defend both me and the tender 
fruit of my womb from all perils and all evils. Grant 
me, in due time, a happy delivery, and bring my child 
safe to the font of Baptism, that it may be there hap- 
pily dedicated to thee, to love and serve thee faithfully 
for ever. But, my God! I have too much reason 
to fear lest my great and manifold sins should hinder 
thee from hearing my prayers, and draw down thy 
judgment upon me and mine, instead of the mercies 
which I sue for : and therefore I am sensible, the first 
thing I ought to do is, to repent from the bottom of 
my heart for all my offences, humbly confess them, 
and continually cry to thee for mercy. I detest, then, 
all my sins with my whole heart, and I desire to lay 
them all down at thy feet, to be effaced for ever. I 
renounce and abhor them with my whole soul, be- 
cause they are infinitely odious to thee ; I humbly 
beg thy pardon for them all, and I wish, with all my 
heart, that I had never committed them ; I here offer 
to make what satisfaction I am able for them ; and I 
most willingly accept of whatever I may have to go 
through in child-bearing, and offer it up now before- 
hand to thee for my sins; firmly resolving, by thy 
grace, never wilfully to offend thee more. See, here, 
my poor heart, O Lord ! and if it be not as I express, 
at least I desire it should be such : I desire it should 
be that contrite and humble heart which thou never 
despisest. In this disposition of soul, and with a lively 
confidence in thy mercies, and in the merits and pas- 
sion of Jesus Christ thy Son, I renew the petition I 
made before, and I once more beg of thee, for my- 
self, thy graee and protection, and a happy delivery ; 
and for my child, that thou v> ouldst be pleased to pre- 
serve it for baptism, sanctify it for thyself, and make 



ANNIVERSARY OF BAPTISM. 



499 



it thine for ever. Through the same Jesus Christ thy 
Son, our Lord. Amen. 

— ♦ — 

ANNIVERSARY OF OUR BAPTISM. 

IT is a very excellent and profitable devotion to celebrate 
in a pious manner the anniversary of the day on which 
we were baptized. We have far more reason to rejoice at 
the thought of the signal blessings imparted to us in our 
spiritual regeneration, than in the possession of life itself; 
for the latter can scarcely be a desirable object, unless it 
be sanctified by the institutions of religion, and become 
thereby a preparation for the happiness of eternity. Let 
the day of your baptism, therefore, be annually devoted to 
exercises of piety, and other good works. Besides your 
morning and evening prayers, which should be recited with 
more than usual devotion, make a meditation on the hap- 
piness you received in your spiritual regeneration, when 
you became a child of God, and a member of his holy 
Church. What gratitude should you feel, and what fer- 
vent thanksgivings should you offer for this inestimable 
grace, which has been conferred upon you in preference to 
so many others ! At your communion renew, with all the 
fervor of which you are capable, your baptismal engage- 
ments. Repeat to God the promise you once made, to re- 
nounce the devil, with all his works and pomps, that is, to 
shun sin and all its occasions. Beg pardon of God for 
having been so unfaithful to this promise, and consecrate 
yourself with increased zeal to his service. 

A PRAYER FOR RENEWING THE PROMISES OF 
BAPTISM. 

MOST holy Trinity! Father, Son, and Holy 
Ghost, one God in three persons ! I present 
myself before thy sovereign Majesty, to pay thee the 
tribute of my adoration and thanksgiving, for the in- 
numerable graces and blessings which thou hast so 
liberally bestowed upon me, from my first coming into 
the world, until now. I thank thee particularly, 
my God ! for the inestimable grace of my baptism. 
What gratitude can bear proportion to such a favor % 
By baptism, I have been delivered from the power of 



500 



ANNIVERSARY OF BAPTISM. 



darkness, and translated into the kingdom of thy be- 
loved Son ; by baptism, I have been cleansed from the 
stain of that sin, in which 1 was born ; by baptism, I 
have been made a member of the body of Jesus Christ, 
to live of his life, to be animated and guided by his 
spirit, to be fed with his sacred flesh, to enter into his 
designs, to imitate his virtues ; finally, to be a living 
imaofe of what he has been during his mortal life. 
These are the obligations of my baptism, these are the 
conditions of the alliance, which thou wouldst have 
me to contract with thee : and although I was at that 
time ignorant of them, and my will had no part in this 
sacred contract, far from wishing to be released from 
them, or appealing, in any manner, from my vows and 
professions, I ratify them now, and renew them in thy 
presence from the bottom of my heart, with a profound 
sorrow for having hitherto led a life so little conform- 
able to my promises, and proved myself, by repeated 
transgressions, so unworthy of the glorious quality of 
thy child. But now, relying on the promised assist- 
ance of thy grace, it is my firm determination to labor 
all my life in fulfilling the sacred eno-ao-ements which 
my sponsors have contracted in my name. 

Yes, O my God ! I renounce, for ever, Satan and all 
his suggestions, the world and all its pomps, sin and 
all its concupiscences. I am resolved, as it was pro- 
mised in my behalf, to unite and attach myself more 
and more to Jesus Christ, my Saviour, and to make 
his divine laws and maxims the object of my earnest 
study, and the invariablerrule of all my actions. 

Eternal Father ! who wast pleased to adopt me in 
thy Son Jesus Christ, as one of thy children, and to 
call me to thy celestial inheritance, revive in me the 
grace of this divine adoption ; and since I am regene- 
rated by thee alone, in order to be a citizen of heaven, 
grant that I may live for thee alone, and that all my 
desires and labors may be directed to the acquisition 
of heavenly goods. 



PRAYER TO THE PATRON OF BAPTISM. 501 



Jesus, the only begotten Son of the Father! who 
hast made me a member of thy mystical body, washed 
me in thy blood, and sanctified me by thy holy sacra- 
ments, perfect thy work in me. Purify my heart from 
the remains of the pride and corruption of Adam ; and 
form thy precious image in my soul, by engraving in 
it thy charity, thy humility, thy purit)^ and all thy 
other virtues, which are the glorious features of that 
image. 

holy Spirit ! adorable principle of the divine adop- 
tion ! be also the principle of my life, of my actions, 
of my desires, and of all the motions of my heart, that 
they may be worthy of a child of God, and member 
of Jesus Christ. 

Holy Trinity ! who, in consecrating me to thy 
service by baptism, hast made me the adorer of the 
Unity of thy name, and of the Trinity of thy persons, 
mercifully grant, that I may adore thee in spirit and in 
truth during my life, and love, praise and enjoy thee 
during eternity. Amen. 

A PRAYER TO OUR HOLY PATRON OF BAPTISM. 

GLORIOUS St. N. ! whose name I have the honor 
to bear, who wast given in baptism as a protector 
and a pattern, and who, although secure of thy own 
immortal bliss, art nevertheless solicitous about my 
happiness; assist me by thy powerful intercession, as 
thou instructest me by !;he examples of thy holy life. 
For I truly can behold in thy life, as in a bright mir- 
ror, what I am to correct in myself, and what I am to 
practise. Thou hast been like me, subject to suffer- 
ing, encompassed with infirmities, assaulted with 
temptations ; but being rooted and founded in charity ^ 
thou hast spurned the rage and persecutions of the 
world, despised its allurements, and triumphed over 
its malignity. Obtain by thy prayers, that I may be 
endued with thy spirit, and become a follower of thee, 
as thou hast been of Christ. Draw me, that I may 



ON CONFIRMATION. 



run after thee in the odor of thy ointments, that is, of 
thy virtues. On the day in which I was buried 
together with Christ by baptism unto death, thou wast 
given me for a witness and a guardian of my engage- 
ments. I beseech thee, therefore, that thou assist me 
in thy prayers for me to God, that I may hold fast the 
confession of my hope without wavering, and that 
laboring to make sure by good works my vocation 
and election, I may pursue towards the mark for the 
prize of the celestial vocation of God, in Christ Jesus. 
Amen. 

— ♦ — 

ON CONFIRMATION. 

CONFIRMATION is a sacrament instituted by our 
Lord, to enable us to arrive at the state of Christian 
perfection, and to strengthen the spiritual life of grace 
which we received at baptism. It is called Confirmation, 
from its effect, which is to confirm and fortify those who 
receive it with the necessary dispositions, in the profession 
of the true faith, to arm them against their spiritual ene- 
mies, and to complete and finish in them the sanctification 
which baptism had begun. In baptism we receive the 
character of the children of God ; in confirmation we re- 
ceive the strength of men, and the character of the soldiers 
of Jesus Christ. In baptism we are enlisted under the 
standard of Christ crucified ; in confirmation we are armed 
with the shield of faith, and enabled to combat against the 
devil, the world, and the flesh. In baptism we are regene- 
rated, and receive the sanctifying grace of God for the re- 
mission of sins ; in confirmation we are prepared for a 
spiritual warfare, and receive the seven gifts of the Holy 
Ghost, as our strength and support, that we may be enabled 
to stand firm in the divine service, with a holy vigor of 
spirit and constancy of mind, amidst the terrors of the 
severest trials and persecutions. 

The seven gifts of the Holy Ghost are, Wisdom, Under- 
standing, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and the 
Fear of the Lord. These gifts are conferred upon the re- 
cipient, for the purposes herein stated. Fear is given to 
avoid sin ; Piety, to serve God ; Knowledge, to know the 



ON CONFIRMATION. 



503 



will of God ; Fortitude, to fulfil it ; Counsel, to discover 
the snares of Satan ; Understanding, to know the mysteries 
of Faith ; and Wisdom, to seek perfection. 

It is evident, from Acts viii and xix, that the Apostles 
practised Confirmation, as a means to communicate the 
graces and gifts of the Holy Ghost to the faithful. It is of 
Confirmation, also, that St. Paul makes mention, Heb. vi 
1, 2, and 2 Cor. i 21, 22, where he expressly says : Now 
he who confirmeth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed 
us, is God ; who hath also sealed us, and given us the earnest 
of the Spirit in our hearts. 

Confirmation is not so necessary but that a person may 
be saved without it : yet, when a favorable opportunity 
offers, it would certainly be a sin to neglect receiving it. 
It would be a grievous crime to omit it through contempt, 
or want of faith. 

The minister of this Sacrament is a Bishop. 

As water is made use of in Baptism, so chrism is used \n 
Confirmation. Chrism is composed of oil of olives and balm 
of Gilead, blessed by a Bishop. The outward anointing 
with chrism, represents the inward anointing of the soul 
with the gifts of the Holy Ghost ; as the outward ablution 
with water in Baptism, denotes the inward washing of the 
soul by the sanctifying grace of God. The oil, whose pro- 
perties are to assuage pain, to fortify the limbs, and to give 
a certain vigor to the body, represents the spiritual effects 
of the grace of this Sacrament in the soul ; and the balm, 
which is of a sweet smell, and whose property -is to preserve 
bodies from putrefaction, represents the good odor of 
Christian virtues, with which we are to edify our neighbors 
after having received this Sacrament. The form of words 
used in conferring this Sacrament is : / sign thee with the 
sign of the cross, I confirm thee with the chrism of salvation, 
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 
Ghost. Whilst the Bishop pronounces the form, he makes 
the sign of the cross with the holy chrism, upon the fore- 
head of each person that is to be confirmed, to give them to 
understand, that no worldly fear or shame is to deter them 
from confessing Christ crucified; but that they are openly 
to profess the doctrines and maxims of his gospel, and live 
as becomes members of his Church, in spite of the ill ex- 
ample and corrupt maxims of the world. A little blow is 
given on the cheek by the Bishop, to the persons confirm- 
ed, to impress on their minds, that they are to be ready to 



504 



ON CONFIRMATION. 



bear with meekness and patience all crosses, persecutions' 
trials, affronts and injuries, when necessary, for the sake 
and glory of their Lord and master Jesus Christ. At the 
same time the Bishop says : Peace be with thee ; to signify 
that true peace is only to be found in God. Lastly, the 
Bishop prays for those who have been confirmed, that the 
Holy Ghost may ever dwell in their hearts, and make 
them temples of his glory. After this, he dismisses them 
with his blessing. 

Confirmation is one of the " Sacraments of the living;" 
so called, because they are intended to increase in the soul 
the life of sanctifying grace, and, consequently, to receive 
them worthily, one must be living to God by being in his 
favor. Confirmation cannot be received more than once ; 
because, like baptism, it impresses an indelible character 
on the soul. To receive it, then, two preparations are re- 
quired, one of the understanding, the other of the con- 
science. The preparation of the understanding consists in 
a competent knowledge of the Christian doctrine, without 
which no one should present himself for this sacrament : 
for, as it was instituted to perfect us in the faith which we 
received in baptism, it is proper that a person should be 
able to give an account of that faith, in which he is about 
to be confirmed. In the tender age of infancy, the Church, 
anxious for the salvation of little children, received them 
into her communion through baptism, and assumed the 
promise of their sponsors instead of their own, for the ob- 
servance of God's law : now, when they have attained the 
age of reason, they should ratify these promises, and of 
course they should be duly instructed in the truths they 
profess, and in the nature of the duties they are bound to 
perform. The preparation of the conscience consists in 
cleansing the soul from the guilt of mortal sin, which sup- 
poses the necessity of having recourse to the sacrament of 
penance should the person preparing for confirmation re- 
quire it. It is also proper that, during several days previous 
to the reception of this Sacrament, he should invite the 
Holy Ghost into his heart by fervent prayer, after the ex- 
ample of the apostles, who, from the ascension of our Lord 
to the coming of the Paraclete upon them, " were perse- 
vering with one accord in prayer." 



I 



PRAYERS FOR CONFIRMATION. 



505 



A PRAYER BEFORE CONFIRMATION. 

OGOD of infinite goodness and bounty! who hast 
been pleased, at my baptism, to make me a Chris- 
tian, to sanctify my soul with thy grace, and to honor 
me with the glorious title of thy child, which, alas ! 1 
have so wretchedly corresponded with, and have even 
forfeited a thousand times by my sins ; behold, not- 
withstanding all my ingratitude, and my repeated trea- 
sons, w T hich thou hast so long and so patiently en- 
dured, thou art still pleased to invite me to return, and 
present myself before thee, in order to receive the 
greatest of all thy gifts, even thine own most Holy 
Spirit; to be consecrated to thee by his unction; to 
be made a strong and perfect Christian, and a soldier 
of thy Son. Oh ! may all heaven and earth praise 
thee, bless thee, and glorify thee for ever, for all thy 
mercies, goodness, and bounty to me! Now, dearest 
Lord, I desire to come, because such is thy will, and 
my duty, to receive this great sacrament of Confirma- 
tion ; that I may, like thy Apostles, be baptized with 
the Holy Ghost, and endowed with power from on high ; 
and like them, be changed, by divine grace, into an- 
other person, in such a manner as henceforward to live 
up to the dignity, and to fulfil every part of the duty 
of a soldier of Christ; and to preserve and maintain, 
even to death, that purity and sanctity, which becomes 
the temple of the living Cod. But, my God, how 
far am I from being worthy to approach this heavenly 
Sacrament! How can I expect that thy Holy Spirit 
should come into my inward house, to make it his 
temple, which has been so long possessed by unclean 
spirits ! Why have I not the dispositions which the 
Apostles brought, and which all Christians ought to 
bring, to the receiving of the Holy Ghost ? Oh ! I 
acknowledge mj^self infinitely unworthy ; I confess 
and detest, from the bottom of my heart, all my past 
uncleanness and abominations; I humbly crave thy 



506 



PRAYERS FOR CONFIRMATION. 



mercy and pardon, through Jesus Christ thy Son ; and 
beg, through him, that thou wilt be pleased to cleanse 
my soul from all its filth, with his precious blood, and 
to give me thy grace to come to this sacrament with 
that humility, faith and devotion, which is most agree- 
able to thee. divine Spirit! do thou prepare my 
soul for thyself. Behold, I come, desiring to give up 
myself to thee for time and eternity, that thou mayest 
ever live and reign in my soul : Oh! let my whole 
soul henceforward be perpetually subject to thee, and 
let nothing in me ever more rebel against thee ! Amen. 

Those who are preparing themselves for the sacrament 
of Confirmation, may likewise breathe forth, from time to 
time, the following short ejaculations. 

Come, Holy Ghost, who replenishest the hearts of 
the faithful, descend into my soul, and make it a 
place of thy abode. 

Come, O Divine Spirit, take full possession of my 
heart, and kindle in it the fire of thy divine Love. 

Enter into my soul and abide there for ever, to be 
my light, my guide and my strength. 

Come, Holy Ghost, with all thy gifts, and fill my 
soul ; enlighten, direct and conduct me in all my ways. 
Strengthen me against all the assaults of self-love; re- 
move from me all vicious shame, and inspire me with 
a Christian courage. 

Oh ! grant, that I may make the gospel the rule of 
my life. Preserve me from the corruption of sin, and 
from the pernicious maxims of the world. Give me 
grace, God, to do thy will in all things. En- 
lighten my eyes, Lord, that I may never sleep in 
death. 

uncreated fire, when wilt thou consume whatever 
is imperfect in my soul ! 

Inebriate my soul with thy holy love, thou sove- 
reign beauty ! 

Oh ! may I never forget the obligations that are con- 



PRAYERS FOR CONFIRMATION. 



50? 



tracted by being enlisted a disciple of the cross, in the 
sacrament of Confirmation. 

Oh ! grant that I may ever have before my eyes the 
duties thereunto annexed, and that I may live hence- 
forth according to the spirit of a true and perfect 
Christian. 

A PRAYER AFTER CONFIRMATION. 

OMY God ! I now desire to adore, bless, and glo- 
rify thee for ever, for all thou hast done for me, 
and thy whole Church, both in heaven and on earth. I 
would now gladly join both my heart and voice, with 
all thy Angels and Saints in heaven, and with all that 
fear and love thee on earth, in giving perpetual praise 
to thee for thy infinite goodness ; and in particular, 
for that love thou hast shown to me this day. I give 
thee thanks from the bottom of my heart, for having 
sent down thy Holy Spirit into my soul, with all his 
gifts and graces. Oh ! let him now take full posses- 
sion of my soul ; let this heavenly unction penetrate 
into the very centre of my interior ; let his divine wis- 
dom ever preside there ; may it ever enlighten me 
with his gift of understanding, and dispel all my dark- 
ness ; may it direct me with his counsel, strengthen 
me with his fortitude, instruct me with his knowledge, 
make me ever fervent in all good with his piety and 
goodness, and may his divine fear ever restrain me 
from all evil. And now, dear Lord, since thou hast 
been pleased, by this sacrament, to consecrate and 
sanctify my soul for thyself, and to make it thy tem- 
ple, be pleased also to drive far from it, by thy grace, 
all that may violate or profane it, or render it disagree- 
able in thy eyes. Oh ! keep it for ever for thyself, 
and restrain Satan from ever entering into it any more. 
Oh ! let it be a house of prayer, in which thou mayest 
be ever worshipped in spirit and in truth, and sutler it 
not to be made any more a den of thieves. Give me 
grace also to fulfil, with perfection, every branch of 



508 PRAYERS FOR CONFIRMATION. 



the duty of thy soldier, which glorious title thou hast 
conferred on me this day : arm me completely for the 
warfare in which I am happily engaged, and stand by 
me in all my conflicts, to crown me with victory. 
Oh ! make me faithful unto death, and bring me safe 
through all the dangers of my mortal pilgrimage to the 
crown of everlasting life : Through Jesus Christ our 
Lord. Amen. 

A FORM OF RENEWING THE OBLIGATIONS OF CON- 
FIRMATION. 

MY Lord God ! how prodigious is the excess of 
thy mercy, who, not discouraged by the ingrati- 
tude of men, pardonest them those failings and sins, 
which they commit even against thy Sacraments, the 
sacred pledges of thy love ! I most humbly beg par- 
don for the unworthiness I brought to the sacrament 
of confirmation, for approaching to it without being 
fully instructed in its excellency, or filled with a holy 
zeal and desire of living, all my days, according to its 
spirit and sanctity. 

Prostrate, therefore, before thee, I here acknow- 
ledge, I have conversed amongst Christians and thy 
children, without due veneration for the sacred max- 
ims of thy gospel ; nay, I fear there has scarcely been 
any company wherein I have been engaged, or visit I 
have made, wherein I have not fallen much beneath 
the duty of a Christian, or done something unworthy 
of that profession. 

But now, my God ! I here purpose and resolve to 
make it my endeavor for the future, to live as a good 
and faithful Christian, and being fortified by thy holy 
grace, to appear as a true soldier of Jesus Christ. 

For this end I beg of thee a continual support of 
thy grace, that the world, company, or custom may 
never be able to corrupt me by their pernicious max- 
ims, that I may have strength to resist all shame and 
fear, which have so often hindered me from speaking 



WAY OF THE CROSS. 



509 



and acting courageously when my duty to thee was 
concerned. Grant me also, my God ! the grace to 
suffer in humility and silence all the contradictions, 
affronts and calumnies I may meet with. This one 
thing more I ask, that I may no longer seek peace and 
rest in the things of this world, but in thy love only, 
and in the vigorous practice of my duty, as may most 
contribute to thy honor. Amen. 



THE WAY OF THE CROSS. 

AMONG the practices of devotion, which have been 
instituted in honor and in remembrance of the pas- 
sion of our Divine Redeemer, that called The Way of the 
Cross deservedly holds the first place. Few among us 
may ever be allowed to visit those holy spots where our 
Saviour wept and bled, and died for our sins. But the 
ever-watchful goodness of our venerable Mother, the 
Church, has made provision for the piety of her children. 
Within our temples we may meditate upon his sufferings 
and his love. We may accompany Him through all the 
scenes of his adorable passion, with as much profit to our 
souls, and with as much honor to his blessed name, as if 
we were actually kneeling in the garden of Olives, or 
mingling our tears with the sacred dust of Calvary. 

Our Saviour has declared, by several revelations, that 
no devotion is more pleasing to him, than that which we 
have to his passion and death. Blessed Louis of Blois as- 
sures us, that our Saviour revealed to St. Gertrude, that 
as often as any one should with devotion look upon a cruci- 
fix, so often should he be amorously looked upon by the 
benign mercy of God. Another author says, that a certain 
person, desiring to know by what devotions he might best 
please Almighty God, our Saviour appeared to him carry- 
ing his cross, telling him that 'twas by jointly bearing his 
cross with him, and never to lose the remembrance of it ; 
by often speaking of this cross, by hearing it spoken of, by 
looking frequently upon it, and by sharing in his passion 
by some exterior mortification. St. Mary Magdalen, that 
incomparable lover of Jesus Christ crucified, having re- 

43* 



510 



WAY OF THE CROSS. 



tired herself into that famous solitude of St. Baume, and 
having begged of our Lord to make known to her in what 
exercise he desired she should chiefly be employed to be- 
come the more agreeable to him, and thereby daily testify 
her love to him, our Saviour sent an angel to her with a 
cross in his hand, which he placed at the door of her cell, 
telling her, that she should ever have that cross before her 
eyes, and that she ought to be continually taken up with 
the consideration of the mysteries that were wrought upon 
it ; which she did for the space of the thirty years she lived 
afterwards. 

We read of St. Bridget, that, when she was but very 
young, our Saviour appeared to her nailed to the cross, and 
quite covered with blood which he seemed to have then 
newly shed ; and from that time she ceased not continu- 
ally to meditate on the passion of the Son of God, which 
she scarce ever did without many tears. We likewise read 
in the life of St. Francis, that having three times opened 
the Missal, there to learn evangelical perfection, by a par- 
ticular Providence of God he always opened it at the pas- 
sion of Christ, as if God would have thereby said to him, 
You seek the means of making yourself perfect, and of 
pleasing me ; it is by giving yourself to the contemplation 
and imitation of my sufferings. Upon that same account, 
the cross was shown to that holy man seven several times, 
as the pattern he ought to follow ; and to load him with 
favors, our Lord appeared to him in the form of a crucified 
seraph, and imprinted the marks of his five wounds upon 
him, with so tender a devotion to his passion, that con- 
stantly, whenever he thought of it afterwards, he broke 
out in sighs and lamentations, and melted into tears. But 
what need have we to search for revelations to prove the 
excellency of the devotion to the passion of Jesus cruci- 
fied ? Does not the holy Scripture teach us that our Sa- 
viour thought continually on his passion and death ? "Dolor 
meus in conspectu meo semper!" Do we not read it in 
the gospel, that it was the subject of his discourse to his 
apostles and disciples, even so far as to speak of it to Moses 
and Elias, in the midst of the glory of his transfiguration 
on Thabor ? And did he not carry with him his five 
wounds to heaven, to have before his eyes the marks of 
his passion for a whole eternity 1 What shall I say of the 
great St. Paul? Did he not profess that he knew nothing 
but Christ crucified ? In what did he glory, but in the 



WAY OF THE CROSS. 



511 



cross of our Lord Jesus Christ ? What other devotion had 
he, but to be crucified with our Lord Jesus Christ ? 

Let us conclude the motives with the words of the se- 
raphical St. Bonaventure, who ever had the image of a 
crucifix before his eyes, which he called his library: ;i I 
will," says he, " take my repose in the sacred side of my 
Saviour; I will there watch, read, pray, drink, eat, and 
treat of all my affairs ; I will there speak to his heart, and 
shall obtain o"f him \vhatever I please." 

To obtain the indulgences attached to this devotion, the 
following conditions must be observed : 

1st. The Way of the Cross should be regularly esta- 
blished, and with the approbation of the Ordinary. 

2d. The Fourteen Stations should be visited in order, as 
indicated by the pictures or images, arranged in the church 
for that purpose. 

3d. At each station we should meditate, for at least a 
few moments, on the sufferings of our Redeemer therein 
represented, and endeavor to excite within our hearts love 
for him, and sincere sorrow for our sins. 

4th. We should conclude by reciting the Lord's Prayer, 
the Angelical Salutation, and the Doxology, Glory be to 
the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. Amen, six 
times, for the intention of the Church. 

5th. We should be in the state of grace; yet even the 
most unhappy or guilty sinner may with confidence enter 
on this Holy Way, if it be only with a contrite heart. He 
will not nave followed his suffering Redeemer long, before 
tears of repentance and resolutions to change his life will 
be the blessed reward of his humble piety. This exercise 
may be also very appropriately directed to obtain relief for 
the suffering souls in purgatory. 

6th. The indulgences, plenary and partial, granted to 
the Way of the Cross, are very extensive. Even the sick, 
and persons at sea, can gain them, in their own chambers, 
by performing the prescribed devotions before a crucifix 



granted to performing the stations, it is not necessary to 
confess and communicate, but only to be in a state of 
grace. 

EXERCISE OF THE WAY OF THE CROSS. 

IN the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of 
the Holy Ghost. Amen. 




To gain the plenary indulgence 



512 



WAY OF THE CROSS. 



Blessed be the Most Holy and undivided Trinity, 
now and for ever more. Amen. 

y. Thou, Lord, wilt open my lips. 
1^. And my tongue shall announce thy praise. 
y. Incline unto my aid, God. 
. Lord, make haste to help me. 
. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to 
the Holy Ghost. 

R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever 
shall be. Amen. 

LET US PRAY. 

DIRECT, we beseech thee, God, our actions, by 
thy holy inspirations, and carry them on by thy 
gracious assistance, that every prayer and work of 
ours may commence always with thee, and by thee 
be happily ended: through Christ Jesus our Lord. 
Amen. 

Here may be sung the following stanzas, when this de- 
votion is solemnly performed : 

CHRISTIANS, who of Jesus' sorrows 
Come the doleful tale to hear, 
See what streams of blood flow for us ! 

Blend, ah ! blend at least a tear. 
Lo! for your own sins devoted, 

Bleeds the victim from on high! 
By his sufferings animated, 
For him live, and for him die. 

Now behold the " Man of Sorrows" 

On the cross exalted high, 
Suffering, bleeding, dying for us : 

Now behold salvation nigh. 
Christians! hear his heavenly lessons, 

Hearken to his dying voice: 
His blaspheming foes he pardons, 

For them prays, and for them dies. 



WAY OF THE CROSS. 



513 



Ah ! to him how deep and painful 

Is the anguish sinners give ! 
From their crimes and pleasures shameful, 

Outrage vile does he receive ! 
Vice triumphant holds dominion! 

Sin appears where'er we turn ! 
Jesus' daily crucifixion, 

Ah ! bewail — with sorrow mourn. 

A PRAYER TO DIRECT THE INTENTION. 

LORD Jesus Christ, Saviour of my soul, I present 
myself before thee, to follow the Way of thy 
Cross, and to retrace in spirit that sacred path which 
was watered with thy adorable blood, during thy pain- 
ful journey to Calvary's Mount. I offer to thee this 
pious exercise, with the view of gaining the indul- 
gences which the sovereign Pontiffs have attached to 
it; and I propose to pray for all the intentions which 
they had in view in dispensing so rich a treasure. 
Grant me, Lord, the dispositions necessary for ob- 
taining these indulgences, as well for myself as for 
the souls in purgatory, and in particular for those for 
whom I design to pray. May I, by this holy exer- 
cise, merit thy mercy in this world, so as to secure, 
with those suffering souls, a place in thy eternal king- 
dom in the life to come. Amen. 

And thou, O blessed Mother of God, assist me by 
thy powerful intercession. Present this my feeble 
homage to thy divine Son, in reparation of the many 
injuries he daily receives from bad Christians, and 
from so many impious men, who deny him that 
bought them. Let me participate in that ineffable 
sorrow which pierced thy most tender soul during the 
several stages of his passion : that I may reap an 
abundant fruit from this holy exercise, for the advan- 
tage and the benefit of all those for whom I pray. 
Amen. 



514 



WAY OF THE CROSS. 



While moving towards each station, a verse of the 
"Stabat Mater" may be sung: 

BENEATH the world's redeeming wood 
The most afflicted Mother stood, 
Mingling her tears with her Son's blood. 

FIRST STATION. 

JESUS IS SENTENCED TO DEATH BY PILATE. 

lfr. We adore thee, Lord Jesus Christ, and bless 
thy holy name : 

R. Because, by thy holy cross, thou hast redeemed 
the world. 

THE MYSTERY. 

OUR gracious Redeemer, after suffering most inju- 
rious treatment before Annas and Caiphas, a 
cruel scourging, and a crown of piercing thorns, is 
condemned to death. This iniquitous sentence your 
Jesus accepts, with admirable humility. Innocence 
submits to punishment in order to free the guilty. 
Reflect that your sins caused his condemnation, and 
your stubborn impenitence extorted the bloody sen- 
tence from Pilate. Purpose now seriously to amend 
your life; and while you reflect on the horrid injustice 
of Pilate, who condemns innocence lest he should 
not appear a friend of Caesar, with deep conviction of 
your own guilt, condemn yourself for your many sins 
of human respect; think how often you have offended 
God from the fear of displeasing the world; and, 
turning to your Saviour, address him rather with tears 
of the heart than expressions of the tongue, in the 
following prayer : 

PRAYER. 

MANGLED Victim of my sins, suffering Jesus ! 
I have deserved those bloody stripes, that cruel 
sentence of death ; and yet thou art put to death for 



WAY OF THE CROSS. 



515 



me, that I should live for thee ! I am convinced that 
if I desire to please the world, I cannot be thy servant; 
let me then displease the world and its vain admirers. 
I resign myself into thy hands. Let the love of thee 
take possession of my heart. Let my eyes behold 
with contempt, every thing that could alienate my af- 
fections from thee. Let my ear be still attentive to 
thy word. Let me accompany thee through thy pain- 
ful journey, sighing and imploring mercy. 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the 
Father, &c. 

y . Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on us. 

R. Have mercy on us : Lord, have mercy on us. 

y. And may the souls of the faithful departed, 
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 

R. Amen. 
As that flowed down from every part, 
Of all his wounds she felt the smart, 
What pierced his body, pierced her heart. 

SECOND STATION. 

JESUS RECEIVES THE CROSS ON HIS SHOULDERS. 

We adore thee, Lord Jesus Christ, and bless 
thy holy name. 

R. Because, by thy holy cross, thou hast redeemed 
the world. 

THE MYSTERY. 

THIS station represents your amiable Redeemer, 
clad in his usual attire, after his inhuman execu- 
tioners have stripped him of the purple garment with 
which he has been clothed, when they crowned him 
with platted thorns as a visionary king. The heavy 
burden of the cross is violently placed on his mangled 
sh<|julders. Behold your Saviour, covered with wounds, 
disfigured with gore, a man of sorrow, abandoned by 
all ! With what wonderful patience he bears the 



516 



WAY OF THE CROSS. 



taunts and insults of the Jews ! Reflect with confu- 
sion on that proud sensibility of yours, which takes 
fire at the very shadow of contempt ; on your discon- 
tent and murmurs, at the slightest afflictions ; your 
obstinate resistance to the will of Heaven, in the 
crosses of this life ; although these are calculated to 
lead you, not to Calvary, but to the joys of eternal 
glory. From your heart unite in the following 

PRAYER. 

MEEK, humble Jesus ! my iniquity and perverse- 
ness loaded thy shoulders with the heavy bur- 
den of the cross. Yet, shameful ingratitude of mine ! 
a vile worm of the earth, I dislike even the appearance 
of mortification, and shrink from every thing that 
would check the violence of my passions ; ana if I 
suffer, it is with murmuring and reluctance. I now, 
O Saviour of the world, detest my past life, and by 
thy grace am determined no more to offend thee mor- 
tally. Let me only glory in the cross of my Lord, 
by which the world is crucified to me, and I to the 
world. Lay then on me the cross of true penance. 
Let me, for the love of thee, bear the adversities of 
this life, and cleave to thee inseparably in the bonds 
of charity. Amen. 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the 
Father, &c. 

Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on us. 
R. Have mercy on us : Lord, have mercy on us. 
V. And may the souls of the faithful departed, 
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 
R. Amen. 

Who can with tearless eyes look on 
When such a Mother, such a Son, 
Wounded and gasping does bemoan. 



WAY OF THE CROSS. 



517 



THIRD STATION. 

JESUS FALLS UNDER THE CROSS FOR THE FIRST 
TIME. 

if. We adore thee, Lord Jesus Christ, and bless 
thy holy name : 

R. Because, by thy holy cross, thou hast redeemed 
the world. 

THE MYSTERY. 

THIS station represents our Lord Jesus Christ, 
overpowered by the weight of the cross, faint- 
ing through loss of blood, and falling to the ground. 
Contemplate the unwearied patience of that meek 
Lamb, under the violence and insults of his brutal ex- 
ecutioners ; while you, impatient in adversity and in- 
firmity, presume to complain, nay, to insult the 
majesty of heaven by your blasphemies. Purpose 
here to suppress the sallies of an ill temper ; and be- 
holding your amiable Jesus prostrate under the cross, 
excite in yourself a just hatred for sin, the cause of 
that insupportable weight under which your Saviour 
sunk ; and thus address your afflicted Jesus : 

PRAYER. 

ALAS ! My Jesus, the violence of thy heartless 
executioners ; the weight of the cross, or rather, 
the more oppressive load of my sins, bend thee to the 
earth. Exhausted, panting for breath, thou dost not 
refuse new tortures for my sake ; shall I then refuse 
the light burden of thy commandments 1 Shall I re- 
fuse to do violence to my passions and sinful inclina- 
tions 1 Shall I relapse into the very crimes I have 
often wept over] Jesus, stretch out thy hand to 
my assistance, that I may never more fall into mortal 
sin, but secure the affair of my salvation. Jlmen. 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the 
Father, &c. 

4 



518 



WAY OF THE CROSS. 



W. Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on us. 

f£. Have mercy on us : O Lord, have mercy on us* 

y. And may the souls of the faithful departed, 
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 

R. Amen. 

worse than Jewish heart, that could, 
Unmoved, behold the double flood, 
Of Maryh tears, and Jesu's blood. 

FOURTH STATION. 

JESUS, CARRYING THE CROSS, MEETS WITH HIS 
MOST AFFLICTED MOTHER. 

V. We adore thee, Lord Jesus Christ, and bless 
thy holy name : 

R. Because, by thy holy cross, thou hast redeemed 
the world. 

THE MYSTERY. 

THIS station presents to our contemplation the 
meeting" of the desolate mother and her bleeding 
Jesus, sinking under the weight of the cross. Con- 
sider what pangs rent her soul, when she beheld him 
covered with blood, dragged violently to the place of 
execution, reviled and blasphemed by an ungrateful, 
outrageous rabble. Meditate on her inward feelings — 
the looks of silent agony exchanged between the 
mother and her son ; her anguish in not being per- 
mitted to approach and embrace him. Be filled with 
confusion, that neither the son's pain, nor the mother's 
grief, have softened the hardness of your heart. Ap- 
proach, now, with contrition, and join in the following 

PRAYER. 

OMARY, I am the cause of thy sufferings : 
refuge of sinners, let me share in those bitter 
pangs which rent thy tender soul, when thou didst be- 
hold thy Son, covered with wounds, and fainting under 



WAY OF THE CROSS. 519 

the cross. Mother of sorrows, let me feel the force of 
thy grief, that, together with thee, I may mingle my 
tears with the blood of thy Son. O suffering Jesus ! 
by thy bitter passion, and the deep anguish of thy 
afflicted Mother, grant me the grace of perseverance. 
Mother of Jesus, intercede for me ! Jesus, look down 
on me with an eye of pity; and, in the hour of my 
death, receive me into thy arms. 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the 
Father, &c. 

V. Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on us. 

R. Have mercy on us : O Lord have mercy on us. 

y . And may the souls of the faithful departed, 
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 

R. Amen. 

Alas ! our sins, they were not his, 

In this atoning sacrifice, 

For which he bleeds, for which he dies. 

FIFTH STATION. 

JESUS ASSISTED BY SIMON THE CYRENIAN, IN 
CARRYING THE CROSS. 

We adore thee, Lord Jesus Christ, and bless 
thy holy name : 

R. Because, by thy holy cross, thou hast redeemed 
the world. 

THE MYSTERY. 

THIS station represents Christ fainting, unable to 
carry the cross. His sacrilegious executioners 
compel Simon the Cyrenian to carry it, not through 
compassion for Jesus, but lest he should expire before 
they could satiate their vengeance, by nailing him to 
the cross. Consider here the repugnance of Simon to 
carry the cross after Christ. And remember that you 
also reluctantly submit to the cross which Providence 



520 



WAY OF THE CROSS. 



has placed on your shoulders. Will you continue to 
spurn the advice of your Jesus, who invites you to 
take up your cross and follow him ] Will you yet, 
with shameless ingratitude, refuse the cross sancti- 
fied by his sufferings'? Offer up devoutly the fol- 
lowing 1 

PRAYER. 

SUFFERING Jesus! to what an excess did 
thy impious executioners carry their cruelty. 
Seeing thee faint under the cross, and apprehending 
thy death before they could accomplish their bloody 
designs, they compelled Simon to aid in bearing thy 
cross, that, on it, thou mightest expire in tortures. 
But why should I complain of the cruelty of the Jews, 
or the repugnance of Simon 1 Have I not again cru- 
cified him by my crimes 1 Have I not suffered with 
fretful impatience the light affliction with which thy 
mercy visited me ] Teach me, now T , my Jesus, to 
detest and deplore my first impatience ; and let me, 
with a walling heart, accompany thee to Mount Cal- 
vary ; let me live in thee, and die in thee. Amen, 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the 
Father, &c. 

y . Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on us. 
R. Have mercy on us : O Lord, have mercy on us. 
y. And may the souls of the faithful departed, 
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 
R. Amen. 

When graves were open'd, rocks were rent, 
When nature and each element 
His torments and her grief resent. 



WAY OF THE CROSS. 



521 



SIXTH STATION. 

VERONICA PRESENTS A HANDKERCHIEF TO CHRIST 

~if. We adore thee, Lord Jesus Christ, and bless 
thy holy name : 

R. Because, by thy holy cross, thou hast redeemed 
the world. 

THE MYSTERY. 

THIS station represents the moment when the 
pious Veronica, moved with compassion on be- 
holding the sacred face of our Redeemer, livid with 
blows, and covered with blood and sweat, presents a 
handkerchief with which Jesus wipes his face. Con- 
sider the heroic piety of this devout woman, who is 
not intimidated by the presence of the executioners, 
or the clamors of the Jews ; and the benign acknow- 
ledgment of Jesus, who leaves the impression of his 
countenance on her handkerchief. Reflect, here, that 
although you cannot discharge the kind offices of hu- 
manity to your Saviour, you have it in your power to 
discharge them towards his suffering members, the 
poor. You cannot wipe away the blood and sweat 
from the face of Jesus ; but you can dry up the tears 
of wretchedness and misery. Examine what returns 
you have made for the favor your bountiful Jesus has 
bestowed on you ; and conscious of your ingratitude, 
address him in the following 

PRAYER. 

O JESUS, give me tears to weep for my ingrati- 
tude. How often have I turned my eyes from 
thee and thy sufferings, to fix them on the world and 
its vanities ! Let me henceforth be entirely thine. 
Stamp thy image on my soul, that it may never admit 
any love incompatible with that which I owe thee. 
Take possession of my heart on earth, that my soul 
may possess thee eternally in glory. Jtmen. 
44* 



522 



WAY OF THE CROSS. 



Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the 
Father, &c. 

y. Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on us. 

ffi. Have mercy on us : O Lord, have mercy on us. 

y . And may the souls of the faithful departed, 
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 

R. Amen. 

Shall man, the cause of all his pain 
And all his grief, shall sinful man 
Alone insensible remain? 

SEVENTH STATION. 

JESUS FALLS UNDER THE CROSS A SECOND TIME. 

tf. We adore thee, Lord Jesus Christ, and bless 
thy holy name : 

R. Because, by thy holy cross, thou hast redeemed 
the world. 

THE MYSTERY. 

FT1 HIS station represents our Saviour at the gates 
I of Jerusalem, falling to the ground, through pain 
and weakness. He is compelled by blows and blas- 
phemies to rise. Consider your Jesus prostrate on 
the earth, bruised by his fall, and ignominiously 
treated by an ungrateful rabble. Reflect that your 
self-love and desire of preference were the cause of 
your Saviour's humiliation. Implore, then, grace to 
detest your proud and haughty disposition. It was 
your repeated sins that pressed him to the ground : 
will you then sin again, and add to the affliction of 
your gracious Saviour ! 

PRAYER. 

OMOST holy Redeemer, treated with extreme 
contempt; and led out to punishment, through 
the excess of torments and weakness of thy mangled 
body, thou fallest a second time to the earth. What 



WAY OF THE CROSS. 



523 



impious hand has prostrated thee 1 Alas ! my Jesus, 
I am that impious, that sacrilegious offender ! My 
ambitious pride, — my haughty indignation, my con- 
tempt of others, humbled thee to the earth. Banish 
for ever from my mind the spirit of pride ; teach me 
humility ; that detesting all vanities, I may be ever 
united with my meek and humble Jesus. Amen. 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the 
Father, &c. 

y. Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on us. 
R. Have mercy on us : O Lord, have mercy on us. 
y. And may the souls of the faithful departed, 
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 
R. Amen. 

Ah, pious mother, teach my heart, 
Of sighs and tears the holy art, 
And in thy grief to bear a part. 

EIGHTH STATION. 

JESUS CONSOLES THE WOMEN OF JERUSALEM, WHO 
WEPT OVER HIM. 

'if. We adore thee, Lord Jesus Christ, and bless 
thy name. 

R. Because, by thy holy cross, thou hast redeemed 
the world. 

THE MYSTERY. 

THIS station represents the place where several 
devout women, meeting Jesus, and beholding 
him wounded and bathed in his own blood, shed tears 
of compassion over him. Consider the excessive love 
of Jesus, who, though languishing through the multi- 
tude of his torments, is nevertheless attentive to con- 
sole the women who wept over him. They heard 
that merciful consolation from the mouth of Jesus : 
weep not over me, but over yourselves and your 



524 



WAY OF THE CROSS. 



children. Weep for your sins, the sources of my 
afflictions. Yes, my soul ! I will obey my suffering 
Lord, and pour out tears of compunction. Nothing 
more eloquent than the voice of the tears which flow 
from the horror of our sins. Let us address him in 
the following 

PRAYER. 

JESUS ! only begotten Son of the Father! who 
will give water to my head, and a fountain of 
tears to my eye, that I may, day and night, weep and 
lament my sins. I humbly beseech thee, by those 
tears of blood thou didst shed for me, to soften my 
flinty bosom, that tears may plentifully flow from my 
eyes, and contrition rend my hardened heart. Cancel 
my crimes, and render me secure in the day of wrath 
and examination, when thou wilt come to judge the 
living and the dead, and to demand a rigorous account 
of thy blood. Amen. 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the 
Father, &c. 

V . Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on us. 
1^. Have mercy on us : Lord, have mercy onus, 
y. And may the souls of the faithful departed 
through the mercy of God rest in peace. 
R. Amen. 

The sword of grief, which did pass through 
Thy very soul, may it now 
Upon my heart a wound bestow. 

NINTH STATION. 

JESUS FALLS UNDER THE CROSS THE THIRD TIME. 

$\ We adore thee, Lord Jesus Christ, and bless 
thy holy name. 

R. Because, by thy holy cross, thou hast redeemed 
the world. 



WAY OF THE CROSS. 



525 



THE MYSTERY. 

THIS station represents the foot of Mount Calvary, 
where Jesus Christ, quite destitute of strength, 
falls a third time to the ground. The anguish of his 
wounds is renewed. Consider here the many injuries 
and blasphemous derisions thrown out against Christ, 
to compel him to rise and hasten to the place of exe- 
cution, that his inveterate enemies might enjoy the 
bloody satisfaction of beholding him expire on the 
cross. Consider that by your sins you daily hurry 
him to the place of execution. Approach, then, in 
thought, to the foot of Mount Calvary, and cry out, 
accursed weight of sin that prostrated my Saviour, 
and had long since buried me in the flames of hell, if 
his mercy and the merits of his passion had not pre- 
served me ! 

PRAYER. 

O AMIABLE Jesus, I return thee endless thanks 
for not permitting me, an ungrateful sinner, as 
thou hast permitted thousands, less criminal, to die in 
my sins. I have added torments to thy torments, by 
heaping sin on sin. Kindle in my soul the fire of 
charity ; maintain it with thy continual grace until, 
delivered from this body of death, I can enjoy the 
liberty of the children of God, and of thy co-heirs. 
Amen, 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the 
Father, &c. 

y . Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on us. 
R. Have mercy on us : Lord, have mercy on us. 
Jf. And may the souls of the faithful departed, 
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 
R. Amen. 

Great Queen of Sorrows, in thy train 
Let me a mourner's place obtain, 
With tears to cleanse all sinful stain. 



526 



WAY OF THE CROSS. 



TENTH STATION. 

JESUS IS STRIPPED OF HIS GARMENTS AND OFFERED 
VINEGAR AND GALL. 

"J?". We adore thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, and bless 
thy holy name. 

R. Because, by thy holy cross, thou hast redeemed 
the world. 

THE MYSTERY. 

THIS station represents how our Lord Jesus Christ 
ascended Mount Calvary, and was stripped of 
his garments by his inhuman executioners, the skin 
and congealed blood torn off with them, and his 
wounds renewed. Consider the confusion of the 
modest Lamb, exposed to the contempt and derision of 
an insulting rabble. They present him with vinegar 
and gall. Condemn here that delicacy of taste, that 
sensual indulgence with which you have flattered 
your sinful body. Pray here for the spirit of mortifi- 
cation. Think how happy you would die, if stripped 
of the world and its attachments, you could expire 
covered with the blood, and partaking in the confu- 
sion of your Redeemer. 

PRAYER. 

SUFFERING Jesus ! I behold thee stript of thy 
garments, thy old wounds renewed, and new ones 
added to the old. I behold thee in the presence of 
thousands, exposed to the inclemency of the weather, 
cold, trembling from head to foot, insulted by the 
blasphemous derisions of the spectators. Strip, thou 
mangled Lamb of God, my heart of the world and its 
deceitful affections. Divest my soul of its habits and 
sensual indulgence. Imbitter the poisoned cup of 
pleasure, that I may dash it with contempt from my 
lips, and through Christian mortification arrive at thy 
never-fading glory, dmen. 



WAY OF THE CROSS. 



52? 



Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the 
Father, &c. 

$\ Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on us. 
R. Have mercy on us : O Lord, have mercy on us. 
W* And may the souls of the faithful departed, 
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 
R. Amen. 

To heal the leprosy of sin, 

We must the cure with tears begin, 

All flesh's corrupt without their brine. 

ELEVENTH STATION. 

JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS. 

"ft. We adore thee, Lord Jesus Christ, and bless 
thy holy name. 

R. Because, by thy holy cross, thou hast redeemed 
the world. 

THE MYSTERY. 

THIS station represents the place where Jesus 
Christ, in the presence of his afflicted mother, is 
stretched on the cross, and nailed to it. How insuf- 
ferable the torture, the nerves and sinews being rent 
by the nails ! Consider the exceeding desolation, the 
anguish of the tender mother, eye-witness to this in- 
human punishment of her beloved Jesus. Generously 
resolve, then, to crucify your criminal desires, and nail 
your sins to the wood of the cross. Contemplate the 
suffering resignation of the Son of God to the will of 
his Father, while you are impatient in trifling afflic- 
tions, in trivial disappointments. Purpose henceforth 
to embrace your cross with ready resignation to the 
will of God, and address him in the following 

PRAYER. 

PATIENT Jesus ! meek Lamb of God, who didst 
declare, " when I shall be exalted from the earth, 
I will draw all things to myself ;" attract my heart to 



528 



WAY OF THE CROSS. 



thee, and nail it to the cross. T now renounce ana 
detest my past impatience. Let me crucify my flesh 
with all its concupiscences and vices ; here burn, here 
cut, but spare me for eternity. I throw myself into 
the arms of tby mercy. Thy will be done in all things. 
Grant me resignation, grant me thy love ; I desire no 
more. Amen. 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the 
Father, &c. 

y . Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on us. 

R. Have mercy on us : Lord, have mercy on us. 

y . And may the souls of the faithful departed, 
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 

R. Amen. 

O may the wounds of thy dear Son 
Our contrite hearts possess alone, 
And all terrene affections drown. 

TWELFTH STATION. 

JESUS IS EXALTED ON THE CROSS AND DIES. 

V. We adore thee, Lord Jesus Christ, and bless 
thy holy name. 

R. Because, by thy holy cross, thou hast redeemed 
the world. 

THE MYSTERY . 

rj^HIS station represents the place where Jesus 
I Christ was publicly exalted on the cross, between 
two robbers, who were executed with the innocent 
Lamb. Consider here the confusion of your Saviour, 
exposed to the profane view of a blasphemous multi- 
tude. Imagine yourself at the foot of the cross. Be- 
hold that sacred body, streaming blood from every 
part. Contemplate the divine countenance, pale and 
languid ; the heart throbbing in the last pangs of 
agony ; the soul on the point of separation. Charity 
triumphs over his agony; his last prayer asks for- 
giveness for his inveterate enemies. M Father, forgive 



WAY OF THE CROSS. 



529 



them, they know not what they do." His clemency 
is equally extended to the penitent thief : " This day 
thou shalt be with me in Paradise." He recommends 
in his last moments his disconsolate mother to his be- 
loved St. John ; he recommends his soul to his hea- 
venly Father ; and bowing- down his head, resigns his 
spirit. Turn your eyes on the bloody portrait of cha- 
rity. Number his wounds, wash them with tears of 
sympathizing love. Behold the arms extended to em- 
brace you. Loving Jesus ! thou didst die to deliver 
us from eternal captivity. 

PRAYER. 

SUFFERING Son of God ! I now behold thee 
in the last convulsive pangs of death. Thy veins 
opened, thy sinews torn, thy hands and feet distilling 
blood. I acknowledge, most loving Jesus ! that my 
reiterated offences have been -thy merciless execution- 
ers, the cause of thy bitter sufferings and death. Yet, 
God of mercy! look on my sinful soul bathed in thy 
precious blood. Let me die to the vanity of the world, 
and renounce its false pleasures. Thou didst pray, 
my Jesus ! for thy enemies : 1 forgive mine ; I em- 
brace them in imitation of thy charity ; I bury my re- 
sentment in thy wounds. Shelter me, in the day of 
wrath, in the sanctuary of thy side. Let me live, let 
me die in my crucified Redeemer. Amen. 

Our Father, &c. Hdil Mary, &c. Glory be to the 
Fatjier, &c. 

if* Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on us. 
]^. Have mercy on us : Lord, have mercy on us. 
V". And may the souls of the faithful departed, 
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 
R. Amen. 

Those Wounds, which now the stars outshine, 
Those furnaces of love divine, 
May they our drossy souls refine. 

45 



530 



WAY OF THE CROSS. 



THIRTEENTH STATION. 

JESUS IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS. 

'if. We adore thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, and bless 
thy holy name. 

R. Because, by thy holy cross, thou hast redeemed 
the world. 

THE MYSTERY. 

THIS station represents the moment when Christ's 
most sacred body is taken down from the cross 
by Joseph and Nicodemus, and laid in the bosom of 
his weeping Mother. Consider the sighs and tears 
of the Virgin Mother; with what pangs she embraced 
the bleeding remains of her beloved Son. Here unite 
your tears with those of this disconsolate mother. Re- 
flect that your Saviour would not descend from the 
cross, until he consummated the work of redemption. 
Hence learn constancy in your pious resolutions ; 
cleave to the standard of the cross. Consider with 
what purity that should be adorned, which receives, 
in the blessed sacrament of the Eucharist, Christ's 
most sacred body and blood. 

PRAYER. 

AT length, blessed Virgin, Mother of sorrows, 
you are permitted to embrace your beloved Son. 
But alas ! the fruit of your immaculate womb is man- 
gled. From the crown of his head to the sole of his 
foot, there is no soundness in him. Yes, the infernal 
fury of the Jews has at length triumphed : yet we 
renew their barbarity, crucify him by our sins, inflict- 
ing new wounds. Most afflicted Mother of my Re- 
deemer, I conjure you, by the pains and torments you 
suffered in the common cause of salvation, to obtain 
for me, by your powerful intercession, the pardon of 
my sins, and grace to deplore, with a sympathizing 
feeling, your and your Son's affliction. As often as I 



WAY OF THE CROSS. 



531 



appear at the holy sacrifice of the Mass, let me em- 
brace thee, oh my Jesus, in the interior of my heart. 
May I worthily receive thee as the sacred pledge of 
my salvation. Amen, 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the 
Father, &c. 

y . Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on us. 
. Have mercy on us : Lord, have mercy on us. 
. And may the souls of the faithful departed, 
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 
R. Amen. 

That when the dreadful trial's come, 
For every man to hear his doom, 
On his right hand we may find room. 

FOURTEENTH STATION. 

JESUS IS LAID IN THE HOLY SEPULCHRE. 

if. We adore thee, Lord Jesus Christ, and bless 
thy holy name. 

R. Because, by thy holy cross, thou hast redeemed 
the world. 

THE MYSTERY. 

THIS station represents Christ's Sepulchre, where 
his blessed body was laid with piety and devo- 
tion. Consider the feelings of the Virgin ; tears 
streaming from her eyes, her bosom heaving sighs. 
What melancholy, what wishful looks she casts on 
that monument, where the treasure of her soul, her 
Jesus, her all, lay entombed. Here lament your want 
of contrition for your sins, and humbly adore your de- 
ceased Lord, who, poor even in death, is buried in 
another's tomb. Blush at your dependence on the 
world, and the eager solicitude with which you labor 
to grasp its perishable advantages. Despise hence- 
forth the world, lest you perish with it. 



532 



WAY OF THE CROSS. 



PRAYER. 

MOST loving Jesus ! for my salvation thou didst 
perform the painful journey of the cross. I 
adore thee reposing in the holy Sepulchre. Let me 
press the footsteps marked by thee, gracious Re- 
deemer; the paths, which, through the thorns of life, 
conduct to the heavenly Jerusalem. Would that thou 
wert entombed in my heart, that being united to thee 
I might rise to a new life of grace, and persevere to 
the end ! Grant me, in my last moments, to receive 
thy precious body as the pledge of immortal life. Let 
my last words be Jesus and Mary, my last breath on 
the cross ; that, with a lively faith, firm hope, and 
ardent love, I may reign with thee for ever and ever. 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the 
Father, &c. 

y. Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on us. 
. Have merc3 r on us : Lord, have mercy on us. 
. And may the souls of the faithful departed, 
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 
R. Amen. 

hear us, Mary ! Jesus, hear ! 
Our humble prayers secure our fear, 
When thou in judgment shalt appear. 

Now give us sorrow, give us love, 
That so prepar'd, we may remove, 
When eall'd to seats of bliss above. Amen, 

CONCLUSION. 

COMPASSIONATE Jesus! behold with eyes of 
mercy this devotion I have endeavored to per- 
form, in honor of thy passion and death, in order to 
obtain remission of my sins, and of the pains incurred 
by them. Accept of it for the salvation of the living, 
and the eternal repose of the faithful departed, particu- 
larly for those for whom I offer it. Do not, Jesus ! 



WAY OF THE CROSS. 



533 



suffer the ineffable price of thy blood to be paid in 
vain, or my miserable soul ransomed by it, to perish. 
The voice of thy blood cries louder for mercy than my 
crimes for vengeance. Have mercy, then, O Lord, 
have mercy, and spare me for thy mercy's sake. 
Amen, 

Onrciurning to the Altar, recite the following prayers : 
Antiphon. 

CIHRIST became obedient for us unto death, even 
/ the death of the cross. 

By thy holy cross deliver us, God. 
R. From all our enemies. 

LET US PRAY. 

LOOK down, we beseech thee, eternal Father, 
on this thy family, for which our Lord Christ 
was pleased to be delivered into the hands of the 
wicked, and to suffer the torment of the cross; who 
liveth and reigneth, one God in unity with thee and 
the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever. 
R. Amen. 

Antiphon, 

OALL ye, that pass by the way, attend, and see 
if there be grief like unto my grief, 
y. Pray for us, most sorrowful Mother of God. 
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises 
of Christ. 

LET US PRAY. 

n TT7"E beseech thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, that the 
V T blessed Virgin Mary, who, during thy bitter 
passion, had her most holy soul pierced with the 
sword of sorrow, may effectually intercede for us 
with thy clemency, both now and at the hour of death : 
who livest and reignest, one God with the Father and 
the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever. 
R. Amen. 

45* 



584 



INDULGENCES. 



Antiphon. 

IT is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for 
the dead, that they may be loosed from their sins. 
W. Eternal rest give unto them, Lord. 
R. And let perpetual light shine upon them. 

LET US PRAY. 

OGOD, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faith- 
ful, grant to the souls of thy servants departed 
the remission of all their sins, that through pious 
supplications they may obtain the pardon which they 
have always desired: who livest and reignest one 
God for ever and ever. 
R. Amen. 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the 
Father, &c. Each to be recited six times. 

y. Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on us. 

R. Have mercy on us : O Lord, have mercy on us. 

f. And may the souls of the faithful departed, 
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 

R. Amen. 



ON INDULGENCES. 

ARTICLE I. 

OF THE PUNISHMENT DUE TO SIN. 

THERE are two sorts of actual sins, viz. : Mortal and 
Venial. 

Mortal sin deserves an inconceivable and eternal punish- 
ment ; for it is of faith, that whoever, at his death, is 
found guilty of but one Mortal sin, shall be banished from 
the presence of God, excluded from the society of the 
Saints, and precipitated into hell, there to dwell for ever 
with the devils and reprobates, in the most dreadful tor 
ments. 



INDULGENCES. 



535 



Whatever may be the language of the world, or the cry 
of passions, with regard to this point of doctrine, we must 
either admit it, or else entirely renounce the Christian 
faith; for no one of its dogmas is more clearly announced, 
or more expressly taught. 

God, in his infinite mercy, has been pleased to furnish 
us with the means of escaping from the abyss of sin, 
when we have had the misfortune of falling into it, viz. : 
a true repentance joined to the sacrament of penance; or, 
when it is not in our power to recur to this sacrament, the 
same sincere repentance, founded on the love of God above 
all things, with the desire to do so. 

But, when a sinner has received the grace of justifica- 
tion, by approaching the sacrament, he does not always re- 
ceive the remission of all the pains due to his sins. This 
is an article of faith, set down in express terms by the 
Council of Trent. Sess. 14, Canon 12. 

The eternal pain is remitted without any restriction ; but 
there generally remains a temporal pain to be undergone 
for a longer or shorter time, according to the nature of the 
sin, and the dispositions of the penitent : and this neces- 
sary atonement must be made either in this life or in the 
next. 

On this truth were founded the severe canonical pen- 
ances formerly inflicted by the Church on repenting sin- 
ners. Three, seven, ten, even fifteen or twenty years' 
fasting on bread and water, privations and humiliations 
even tor a whole life, were sometimes prescribed for one 
single sin ; and even these were not thought to exceed the 
degree of satisfaction due to the justice of God. 

If the Church, at this present time, treats sinners with 
greater indulgence and mercy, it is not because she con- 
siders them less guilty, or their faults less deserving of 
punishment : sin is always the same — always equally de- 
serving of punishment. 

Those who die without having made the necessary atone- 
ment shall have to endure long and severe pains in purga- 
tory. Even venial sin, not expiated in this world, will be 
punished in purgatory. 

If, then, the pain due to one sin is such, what must be 
the immense debt of a sinner who has passed whole years 
in the most criminal habits, and to whom we may apply 
the words of the Royal Prophet : He has multiplied his 
iniquities above the number of the hairs of his head. 



536 



INDULGENCES. 



God alone can know the extent of the obligations of the 
sinner to his justice, even after the guilt has been remitted 
by his mercy, and the soul has recovered sanctifying grace. 

Were we deeply penetrated with these sacred truths, 
we would endeavor to offer to God every day some satis- 
faction, in order to diminish, if we cannot entirely cancel, 
the debt we have contracted. 

It is to sinners thus disposed, that the Church, by her 
Indulgences, offers a means to supply their insufficiency. 

ARTICLE II. 

OF THE NATURE AND EFFECTS OF INDULGENCES. 

BY Indulgence we understand a release from the tem- 
poral punishment due to actual sins, already remitted 
as to the guilt, granted out of the sacrament of penance, by 
those who have the power of dispensing the spiritual 
treasures of the Church. 

We say, 1st, A release from the temporal pu7iishment ; 
because an Indulgence cannot remit the eternal punish- 
ment. 2dly, Due to actual sins; because baptism leaves 
no punishment to be undergone. 3dly, Already remitted 
as to the guilt; because we cannot obtain the remission of 
temporal punishment due to sin, whilst the sin itself re- 
mains. 4thly, Granted out of the sacrament of penance; 
because, although the priest, in remitting the sin in the 
tribunal of penance, remits also a part of the temporal 
punishment, in proportion to the dispositions of the peni- 
tent, yet a part often remains, which may be remitted by 
an Indulgence out of the sacrament of penance. 5thly, By 
those who have the power of dispensing, fyc; because the 
granting of Indulgence is an act of jurisdiction, and there- 
fore supposes a legitimate authority in the one who exer- 
cises it. 6thly, The spiritual treasures of the Church; the 
spiritual treasures of the Church are the merits and satis- 
faction of Jesus Christ and the Saints, out of which the 
Church, when she grants an indulgence to her children, 
offers to God an equivalent for the punishment which was 
due to the divine justice. For the merits and satisfaction 
of Jesus Christ are of infinite value ; they can never be 
exhausted; they are the source of all our good. The 
merits and satisfaction of the Saints, as they have their 
value from Jesus Christ, and through him are accepted by 



INDULGENCES. 



537 



the Father, so, by the communion, which all the members 
of Jesus Christ's mystical body have one with another, are 
applicable to the faithful upon earth. 

That our Lord Jesus Christ has given his Church the 
power to grant Indulgences, is evident from the inspired 
volume ; for, 1st, he says to St. Peter : Thou art Peter . . . 
and I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; 
and whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, shall be bound also 
in heaven: and' whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, shall 
be loosed also in heaven. St. Matt, xvi 19. In which words 
our Saviour gives to St. Peter, as the Chief Pastor of his 
Church, an ample and universal power to conduct the 
faithful to heaven, by loosing them from every thing that 
might hinder them from going thither ; provided, always, 
they be properly disposed, and perform the conditions re- 
quired upon their part. Now, there are only two things 
that can hinder a soul from going to heaven, viz. : the guilt 
of sin, and the debt of temporal punishment ; until that 
debt be paid, none can enter therein : consequently, our 
Saviour's saying, whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, 
shall be loosed in heaven, manifestly includes both, and as- 
sures us that, when the Chief Pastor looses the faithful 
from their sins in the sacrament of penance, or from the 
debt of temporal punishment, by granting an Indulgence, 
this sentence is ratified in heaven, and stands good in the 
sight of God himself. 2dly, On another occasion, de- 
claring that he that will not hear the Church — that is, the 
Pastors and Rulers of the Church — is to be considered as 
a heathen and a publican, he immediately says to these 
Pastors, in the person of all the Apostles : Amen, I say 
unto you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be 
bound also in heaven: and whatsoever you shall loose upon 
earth, shall be loosed also in heaven. St. Matt, xviii 18. 
In which words, by the same reasoning as in the former 
case, we see the power of granting Indulgences conferred 
on the first Pastors or Bishops of the Church, as suc- 
cassors of the Apostles. It is given to the head of the 
Church with regard to all the faithful, and to the Bishops 
of the Church with regard to that portion of the faithful 
committed to their charge, to be exercised by them under 
such regulations as the Church herself, in her sacred 
Councils, has judged proper to appoint. 3dly, St. Paul, 
though not one of the twelve Apostles present with our 
Saviour when this power was given them, both exercised 



588 



INDULGENCES. 



it himself, towards the incestuous Corinthian, and recom- 
mended to the pastors of that church to do the same. 

Indulgences are divided into Plenary and Partial. 

A Plenary Indulgence remits all the temporal punish- 
ment due to sin, in such a manner, that, whoever gains it 
entirely, and receives the perfect application of it, becomes 
as pure before God as if he were just regenerated in Jesus 
Christ by the waters of baptism. Therefore, were we to 
die immediately after gaining the full benefit of a Plenary 
Indulgence, we would go immediately to heaven. But it 
is impossible to know if we have received the full benefit 
of any Indulgence ; because the benefit we receive from 
Indulgences is proportionate to the perfection of our dispo- 
sitions, and to the piety with which we have performed the 
works prescribed. 

A Jubilee differs from a Plenary Indulgence, only inas- 
much as it is accompanied with more privileges and more 
solemnity : every Pastor, in time of the Jubilee, has power 
to take off all excommunications, to absolve in all reserved 
cases, and to commute simple vows into other works of 
piety. The benefit of it extends to all the faithful, who, in 
a body, offer a holy violence to heaven by prayers and 
good works. The term between one Jubilee and another, 
is now fixed to twenty-five years, by Paul II and Sixtus IV, 
that, as the frailty of man to sin is very great, and man's 
life seems to shorten, every one, if possible, might enjoy 
this benefit. Upon extraordinary occasions, Jubilees are 
also sometimes published. 

A Partial Indulgence remits only a part of the temporal 
pain due to sin. 

In granting Indulgences of a determinate number of 
days, of weeks, or of years, the Pope does not pretend to 
abridge the sufferings of purgatory for such a length of 
time. His intention is to remit as much of the pain due 
to sin, as would have been remitted by the Canonical 
penance faithfully performed during a corresponding num- 
ber of days, weeks or years: but the extent of this remis- 
sion can never be known. 

Perhaps Indulgences of many years, even reiterated and 
multiplied efforts to gain Plenary Indulgences-, will not de- 
liver us from all the pain due to our sins. We know, how- 
ever, that Indulgences afford us a certain means of hasten- 
ing our entrance into heaven ; and this alone should induce 
us to do our very best, to gain all we possibly can. 



INDULGENCES. 



539 



Indulgences for the dead are not granted by way of ab- 
solution, since the Pastors of the Church have no juris- 
diction over the dead. They are available to the faithful 
departed, only by way of suffrage, or spiritual succor, ap- 
plied to their souls, out of the treasure of the Church. 

To gain an Indulgence, it is necessary, 1st, that we 
should be in a state of grace, and have the intention to gain 
it. Should we perform an act to which an Indulgence is 
annexed, without thinking of it, or without having had the 
intention, we do not gain it. However, it is not necessary 
that this intention should be actual ; for, it is sufficient to 
act in a human manner : now for this, only a virtual inten- 
tion is necessary ; that is to say, an intention which has 
been actual, and which is supposed to continue ; although, 
through inadvertence or distraction, we had lost sight of 
it. 2dly, That the conditions required, be exactly per- 
formed. For, as Indulgences are always granted on cer- 
tain conditions to be complied with on our part, such as 
approaching the holy sacraments, works of charity and 
mercy, exercises of piety and religion, prayers for the ne- 
cessities of the Church, and the like ; if these conditions 
required are not exactly performed, as required, we have 
no title to the favor of the Indulgence. 3dly, To gain a 
Plenary Indulgence, we must receive the holy sacraments 
of Penance and the Eucharist. Communion is to be re- 
ceived on the day for gaining the Indulgence, unless it is 
otherwise marked in the grant of the Indulgence. Con- 
fession may be made on the day previous, as well as on 
the day ; and those who are in the practice of confessing 
once a week, may gain several Plenary Indulgences in the 
same week, without being obliged to make a confession 
previous to each indulgence. We must also pray with 
devotion. This condition is sufficiently complied with, by 
saying the Our Father, and the Hail Mary five times, or 
he Litany of Jesus, or the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, 
for the praise and glory of God's holy name, for the exalta- 
tion of the holy Catholic Church, for the conversion of in- 
fidels and heretics, for peace and union between Christian 
nations, and for all the intentions of the same holy Church. 
4thly, To gain the full effect of a Plenary Indulgence, it is 
also necessary to have a perfect repentance, and sincere de 
testation of all our sins, even of the least venial sin ; be- 
cause, as the punishment of sin will never be forgiven 
while the guilt of it remains in the soul, and as a sincere 



540 



INDULGENCES. 



repentance is absolutely required for the remission of the 
guilt ; therefore, this sincere repentance must precede the 
remission of the punishment. Hence we may see how few 
there are, who gain the full effect of a Plenary Indulgence, 
as there are few, who have a sincere and efficacious re- 
pentance of every venial sin, and a sincere and firm resolu- 
tion of avoiding every sin, great or small, with all the 
probable occasions of sin. Still, this ought not to hinder 
us from doing our best to gain a Plenary Indulgence, when 
occasion offers ; because, though we should not gain the 
whole effect of it, the more endeavors we use, and the 
better we be disposed, the more ample benefit we reap 
from it : and whereas, we can never be certain how far we 
gain this benefit, and have but too much reason, from our 
own imperfect dispositions, to fear that we may have yet a 
great debt remaining unpaid ; therefore, our endeavoring 
to gain an Indulgence ought not to make us remiss in lead- 
ing a truly penitential life, but rather encourage us to do 
so the more exactly ; because, the more we endeavor by 
works, worthy of penance, to satisfy the divine justice, the 
better we will be disposed, when the opportunity comes, 
for gaining more abundant effects of Indulgences: for, 
when we think we have done our best, it is perhaps little 
to what we ought to have done ; and what we gain by In- 
dulgences makes up for the deficiencies of human infirmity : 
besides, the spirit of the Church is to grant Indulgences to 
those only, who, on their part, sincerely endeavor to satisfy 
the divine justice. Any other idea of an Indulgence would 
be a strange illusion. An Indulgence then never exempts 
any one from the necessity of doing penance : penance has 
been commanded to all without any exception, and we 
ought to imitate Jesus Christ, as did the Saints, whose 
lives were a continual penance. 

VARIOUS INDULGENCES. 
I. 

They who recite devoutly the Trisagium and Doxology, 
may, every day, gain an Indulgence of one hundred days ; 
and on every Sunday, and during the octave of Holy Trinity 
they may, three times a day, gain the same Indulgence : and 
they who recite these prayers daily, may, once a month, 
on a day at option, gain a Plenary Indulgence. 

The Trisagium is the canticle of the Seraphim, which 



INDULGENCES. 



541 



the prophet Isaias heard them singing, prostrate in pro- 
found adoration, before the throne of God, and which St. 
John the evangelist heard repeated in the highest heavens, 
day and night, without any intermission. 

The Doxology is often repeated by the Church, in her 
divine office, in honor of the most Holy Trinity. 

All who have a lively faith in the ineffable mystery of 
three persons in one God, should, after the example of the 
celestial choirs, adore, bless, and praise the most Holy 
Trinity, as often as possible, and with all the fervor of 
which they are capable. 

THE TRISAGIUM, OR THE CANTICLE OF THE 
SERAPHIM. 

HOLY, holy, holy Lord God of Hosts ! all the 
earth is full of his glory. 

THE DOXOLOGY. 

GLORY be to the Father; glory be to the Son, 
and glory be to the Holy Ghost. 

II. 

If three persons associate together in honor of the most 
Holy Trinity, of the Incarnation of the divine Word, and 
of the Blessed Virgin, Mother of God, to recite jointly, or 
separately, seven times, Glory be to the Father, fyc, and 
once Hail Mary, <$-c, three times a day, viz., morning, 
noon and evening, they may gain an Indulgence of one 
hundred days, each day of the week ; of seven years, and 
seven times forty days, on each Sunday ; and should they 
daily repeat them, a Plenary Indulgence twice each month, 
on two Sundays of their choice. 

Should one of the three, thus united, die, or from any 
cause abandon this devotion, another must be chosen, that 
the union of three persons may always be preserved. 

III. 

They who recite devoutly, morning, noon, and evening, 
the Glory be to the Father, $c, three times, in thanksgiv- 
ing to the most Holy Trinity, for the graces and privi- 
leges conferred on the Blessed Virgin Mary, especially on 
the day of her glorious Assumption, may, every day, gain 

46 




542 



INDULGENCES. 



an Indulgence of three hundred days ; and they who daily 
recite these prayers, may once a month, on a day at option, 
gain a Plenary Indulgence. 

IV. 

They who recite with devotion, the following offerings 
to the most Holy Trinity, to obtain a happy death, may. 
each time, gain one hundred days' Indulgence ; and if they 
recite them daily, they may, once a month, on a day at 
option, gain a Plenary Indulgence. 

THREE OFFERINGS. 

♦ * 1- 

MOST Holy Trinity, we offer thee the merits of 
Jesus Christ, in thanksgiving for the precious 
blood he shed for us in the Garden of Olives ; and by 
the same merits, we beseech thee to pardon us our sins. 

Our Father, #~c. Hail Mary, $~c. Glory be to the 
Father, $rc, 

2. 

MOST Holy Trinity, we offer thee the merits of 
Jesus Christ, in thanksgiving for the death he 
suffered for us on the cross ; and by the same merits, 
we beseech thee to grant us the remission of all the 
punishment due to our sins. 

Our Father, tyc. Hail Mary, $rc. Glory be to the 
Father, $rc. 

3. 

MOST Holy Trinity, we offer thee the merits of 
Jesus Christ, in thanksgiving for the ineffable 
charity, which brought him from heaven, to become 
man, to suffer and die for us on the cross ; and by the 
same merits, we beseech fchee to grant us, at the hour 
of death, dispositions so perfect that our souls may be 
immediately admitted to the glory of heaven. 

Our Father, fyc. Hail Mary, fyc. Glory be to the 
Father, $rc. 



INDULGENCES. 543 

V. 

They who say with devotion the acts of Faith, Hope, 
and Charity, expressing in them the special motive of 
each of these virtues, may, each time, gain an indulgence 
of seven years, and seven times forty days: should they 
say them daily, they may, once a month, on a day at 
option, gain a Plenary Indulgence ; and, at the article of 
death, a Plenary Indulgence. 

N. B. No particular formula is necessary. 

VI. 

They who recite devoutly the following prayers to the 
most Holy Trinity, may, every day, gain one hundred days' 
Indulgence ; and they who recite them daily, may, on one 
of the three last days of each month, gain a Plenary In- 
dulgence, provided, that having confessed and communi- 
cated, they visit some church or public oratory, and pray 
for the intentions of the Sovereign Pontiff. 

PRAYERS. 

FATHER! Son! Holy Spirit! most 
Holy Trinity! Jesus! O Mary! be blessed 
for ever. 

Angels and Saints of heaven ! obtain for me these 
graces, which I ask through the blood of Jesus Christ: 

To do always the will of Gfod. 

To keep myself always in the holy presence of God. 

To have God alone ever in view. 

To love God alone. 

To do every thing for God. 

To seek only the glory of God. 

To labor at the work of my perfection, from no 
other motive than the love of God. 

To be sensible of my absolute nothingness. 

To know more and more the will of my God. 

O most holy Virgin ! O Mary ! offer to the eternal 
Father the precious blood of thy divine Son, for the 
salvation of my soul ; for the souls in purgatory ; for 
the wants of the Holy Church ; for the conversion of 
sinners, and for the whole world. 



I 



544 



INDULGENCES. 



Say Glory be to the Father, fyc. three times, in honour of 
the precious blood of our Lord ; Hail Mary once, in honour 
of our Lady of Seven Dolors; and Eternal rest, d/c, for 
the souls in purgatory. 

VII. 

They who recite with devotion the prayers to the Five 
Wounds of our divine Redeemer, may, every day, gain 
one hundred days' Indulgence ; and those who recite these 
prayers, at least ten times each month, may, on the 3d of 
May, and the 14th of September, gain a Plenary Indul- 
gence. They who recite these prayers daily, from Passion 
Sunday until Holy Saturday, inclusively, may, each day, 
gain seven years and seven times forty days' Indulgence, 
and on Easter Sunday a Plenary Indulgence. 

PRAYERS TO THE FIVE WOUNDS OF OUR 
BLESSED REDEEMER. 

BEGIN BY AN ACT OF CONTRITION. 

PROSTRATE before thee, crucified Jesus, amia- 
ble Redeemer of my soul ! I confess, with bittei 
regret, that I have most ungratefully offended thee, 
and nailed thee to the cross every time I have com- 
mitted a mortal sin. my God, infinite Source of 
all perfection, Sovereign Goodness ! thou art worthy 
of all my affections, for the innumerable blessings, 
which thou hast, in such abundance, continually be- 
stowed on me. Oh ! how unfortunate I am ! I cannot 
undo what I have done ; but, at least, I am sorry for 
my sins, and I detest them because they have offended 
thee. O Infinite Goodness ! I humbly cast myself at 
thy sacred feet, and I desire at least to sympathize 
with thee in all thy sufferings for me, to thank thee 
for thy excessive charity, and to beg thy pardon, not 
only with my lips, but from the bottom of my heart. 

TO THE WOUND OF THE LEFT FOOT. 

OMY divine Saviour, I humbly adore the sacred 
Wound of thy left foot, and I feelingly compas- 
sionate the intense pain it caused thee. I thank thee 



t 



INDULGENCES. 



545 



for the love with which thou didst make thy painful 
journey to Calvary, marking every step of the way 
with thy precious blood. I offer to the eternal Father 
the love and sufferings of thy holy Humanity, in ex- 
piation of my crimes, which I detest with sincere and 
bitter contrition. 

Our Father, fyc. Hail Mary, $rc. Glory be to the 
Father, &c. 

O holy Mother ! impress deeply on my heart the 
Wounds of my crucified Jesus. 

TO THE WOUND OF THE RIGHT FOOT. 

OMY divine Saviour ! I adore the sacred Wound 
of thy right foot, and I feelingly compassionate 
the intense pain it caused thee. I thank thee for the 
love with which thou didst suffer thy sacred feet to 
be pierced, and, with barbarous cruelty, nailed to the 
cross, to atone for my wanderings, and for the guilty 
indulgence of my disorderly passions. I offer to the 
eternal Father, the love and sufferings of thy holy 
Humanity ; and I beseech him to grant me the grace 
to weep bitterly for my sins, and to persevere in virtue 
to the end of my life, without ever straying from the 
obedience due to thy holy commandments. 

Our Father, <$rc. Hail Mary, #~c. Glory be to the 
Father, §rc. 

O holy Mother ! impress deeply on my heart the 
Wounds of my crucified Jesus. 

TO THE WOUND OF THE LEFT HAND. 

OMY divine Saviour ! I humbly adore the sacred 
Wound of thy left hand, and I feelingly com- 
passionate the intense pain it caused thee. I thank 
thee for having thereby, with so much love, delivered 
me from t the eternal punishment which my sins de- 
serve. I offer to the eternal Father, the love and suf- 
ferings of thy holy Humanity ; and I beseech him to 



546 



INDULGENCES. 



grant me the grace to profit by the remainder of my 
life, that I may bring forth fruits worthy of penance, 
and thus disarm the divine justice, provoked by my 
repeated sins. 

Our Father, §~c. Hail Mary, c^c. Glory be to the 
Father, <^c. 

holy Mother ! impress deeply on my heart the 
Wounds of my crucified Jesus. 

TO THE WOUND OF THE RIGHT HAND. 



MY divine Saviour! I adore the sacred Wound 



\y of thy right hand, and I feelingly compassionate 
the intense pain it caused thee. I thank thee for all 
the blessings which this bountiful hand has so abund- 
antly bestowed on me, notwithstanding my ingratitude 
in refusing to correspond with thy gracious designs. 
I offer to the eternal Father, the love and sufferings 
of thy holy Humanity; and I beseech him to change 
my heart and affections, and to render all my actions 
conformable to his holy will. 

Our Father, §~c. Hail Mary, #~c. Glory be to the 
Father, §~c. 

holy Mother ! impress deeply on my heart the 
Wounds of my crucified Jesus. 

TO THE WOUND OF THE OPENED SIDE. 



MY divine Saviour ! I humbly adore the sacred 



yj 

Wound of thy opened side. I am exceedingly 
moved at this cruel outrage. I thank thee for the love 
with which thou didst suffer thy side to be pierced, 
and thy heart opened, to give us even the last drop of 
thy precious blood, that our redemption might be most 
abundant. I offer to the eternal Father, both this out- 
rage offered to thy holy Humanity, and the love with 
which thou art always ready to receive the greatest 
sinners, that my soul may be received into this most 
loving Heart, and may abide therein for ever. Amen, 





INDULGENCES. 



547 



Our Father, #~c. Hail Mary, fyc. Glory be to the 
Father, fyc. 

O holy Mother ! impress deeply on my heart the 
Wounds of my crucified Jesus. 

A PRAYER TO THE MOTHER OF SORROWS. 

OMARY, Virgin Mother of God ! martyr of love 
and sorrow, at the sight of the sufferings and hu- 
miliations of Jesus ! Thou hast concurred in the work 
of my redemption, by thy innumerable afflictions ; 
especially by the offering thou didst make to the 
eternal Father of this only Son, as a holocaust and a 
victim of propitiation for my sins. I feelingly com- 
passionate thy most bitter sorrow. I thank thee for 
the almost infinite love, with which, to save us mise- 
rable sinners, thou didst consent to be deprived of thy 
Son Jesus, true God and true Man. O holy Virgin, 
Mother of God ! no one has ever implored thy power- 
ful intercession in vain ; use, then, thy influence with 
the Father and the Son, that breaking now, and for 
ever, the chain of my bad habits and perverse inclina- 
tions, I may never, by any new sin, again crucify my 
Jesus, but that I may persevere in his grace until 
death, and obtain eternal life through the merits he 
acquired for me by his bitter passion and death upon 
the cross. 

Hail Mary, tyc, three times. 

PRAYER. 

O JESUS, my Lord and my God! who didst, 
about the sixth hour, vouchsafe to be nailed to 
the cross, for the redemption of the world, and on it 
to shed thy precious blood for the remission of our 
sins, we humbly supplicate thee to grant, that, after 
our death, we may be admitted into the mansions of 
the blessed ; there to adore, love, praise and enjoy 
thee for ever. 



548 



INDULGENCES. 



O Saviour of the world ! we humbly supplicate 
thee to be, according to thy tender mercies, pro- 
pitious to us now, and at the hour of our death, 
through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 
thy Mother, whose pure soul was pierced with a sword 
of sorrow, at the foot of the cross. 

VIII. 

They, who having confessed and communicated, recite, 
with devotion, and before an image of Jesus crucified, the 
following prayer, may, each time, gain a Plenary Indul- 
gence. 

A PRAYER TO THE FIVE WOUNDS. 

OMOST bountiful, and most sweet Jesus ! humbly 
prostrate before thee, I implore and conjure thee, 
with all the fervor of my soul, to engrave upon my 
heart lively sentiments of faith, hope and charity ; a 
true repentance for my wanderings, and a firm purpose 
to correct them : whilst with feeling grief I ponder in 
spirit the pains of thy five wounds, having in mind 
these words of the prophet David : They have pierced 
my hands and my feet ; they have numbered all my 
bones. 

IX. 

They, who recite with devotion the Chaplet of the pre- 
cious Blood of Jesus Christ, may every day, gain an In- 
dulgence of seven years, and seven times forty days : they, 
who recite it daily, may once a month gain a Plenary In- 
dulgence. They who recite only the prayer: most 
precious Blood, may, every day, gain an Indulgence of 
three hundred days. 

CHAPLET OF THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF 
JESUS. 

^\ Incline unto my aid, O God ! 
R. Lord ! make haste to help me. 
Glory be to the Father, &c. 



INDULGENCES. 



549 



FIRST MYSTERY. 

OUR amiable Redeemer shed his precious blood, 
the first time, on the eighth day after his birth, 
when he was circumcised, in obedience to the Mosaic 
law. In considering what Jesus Christ has done to 
satisfy the divine justice for our sins of impurity, let 
us excite ourselves to a sincere sorrow for them, and 
promise him to be, from this moment, with the assist- 
ance of his grace, pure in body and mind. Amen. 

Our Father, $rc, five times ; Glory be to the Father, 
#*c., once. 

Assist, O Lord, thy servants, whom thou hast re- 
deemed with thy precious blood. 

SECOND MYSTERY. 

OUR amiable Redeemer was, in the garden of 
Gethsemani, so overwhelmed with sorrow, at the 
sight of the base ingratitude of mankind, (notwith- 
standing his infinite love, and all that he suffered to 
procure their salvation,) that his sacred blood gushed 
forth from every pore, and flowed in such abundance 
that the ground all around him was moistened by it. 
Let us bitterly lament our ingratitude ; and let us re- 
solve to make in future a better use of his graces and 
holy inspirations. Amen. 

Our Father, fyc, five times ; Glory be to the Father, 
$rc, once. 

Assist, Lord, thy servants, whom thou hast re- 
deemed with thy precious blood. 

THIRD MYSTERY. 

OUR amiable Redeemer shed his precious blood, 
the third time, when he was cruelly scourged at 
the pillory. His sacred body was torn with stripes, 
and covered with wounds, while his blood flowed in 
torrents. Let us contemplate our Jesus offering this 
blood to his heavenly Father, in atonement for our 



550 



INDULGENCES. 



sins of anger and immortification ; and resolve to be 
ii future more patient in adversities, to support inju- 
ries with greater resignation, and to lead a more mor- 
tified life. Amen. 

Our Father, five times ; Glory be to the Father, 
tyc, once. 

Assist, Lord, thy servants, whom thou hast re- 
deemed with thy precious blood. 

FOURTH MYSTERY. 

OUR amiable Redeemer, to expiate our sins of pride 
and bad thoughts, suffered his adorable head to 
be pierced with sharp thorns. Let us adore the pre- 
cious blood that gushed forth from every wound ; and 
resolve in future ever to remember our own weakness, 
and to endeavor to suppress every sinful thought. 
Amen, 

Our Father, §*c, five times ; Glory be to the Father, 
&c, once. 

Assist, Lord, thy servants, whom thou hast re- 
deemed with thy precious blood. 

FIFTH MYSTERY. 

OUR amiable Redeemer, bearing his heavy cross 
on his wounded and mangled shoulders, made 
his painful journey to Mount Calvary, marking the 
way with his precious blood, to expiate the scandal 
and bad example by which we have drawn others into 
the way of perdition. Let us resolve to co-operate in 
future, as much as will be in our power, in the salva- 
tion of our neighbor, by friendly warnings and kind 
admonitions ; and above all, resolve to avert, by our 
prayers and good example, the fatal consequences of 
any bad example we may have given. Amen. 

Our Father, #*c, five times , Glory be to the Father, 
$rc., once. 

Assist, Lord, thy servants, whom thou hast re- 
deemed with thy precious blood. 



INDULGENCES. 



551 



SIXTH MYSTERY. 

OUR amiable Redeemer shed his precious blood in 
the greatest abundance during his Crucifixion, 
when from his opened veins and pierced arteries it 
flowed in torrents, to purify us from all our iniquities 
and from every stain, and to give us eternal life. Let 
us bitterly deplore our past sins, and resolve never 
again to renew the cause of our Saviour's Crucifixion. 
Amen. 

Our Father, $~c, five times ; Glory be to the Father, 
<J"c, once. 

Assist, Lord, thy servants, whom thou hast re- 
deemed with thy precious blood. 

SEVENTH MYSTERY. 

OUR amiable Redeemer shed his precious blood 
even after his death, w T hen his loving heart and 
sacred side were opened by the spear ; and water also 
was seen issuing from this sacred wound, to show 
that he had shed the last drop for our salvation. 

infinite love and goodness! my divine Re- 
deemer ! how is it that we are so ungrateful to thee ! 
how is it that we are not consumed with love for thee ! 
Alas ! all expressions fail me, when I reflect on thy 
love, and our ingratitude. But T invite all creatures 
on earth, and all the Angels and Saints in heaven, and 
especially thy most tender Mother, to bless and praise 
thee, for having redeemed us with thy precious blood. 
Amen. 

my Jesus ! may thy sacred blood be the vivifying 
principle of all hearts, now and for ever. 

After this mystery, the Our Father is said only three 
times, to complete the number thirty-three, which is the 
number of years that the precious blood of our blessed 
Saviour flowed in his adorable veins, before it was shed for 
the redemption of the world. 

Glory be to the Father, #*c, once. 



552 



INDULGENCES. 



PRAYER. 

OMOST precious blood, watering our souls, and 
purifying them from every stain ! O Price and 
Ransom of all mankind ! Source of Eternal Life ! 
Powerful Pleader at the throne of the Supreme Mercy ! 
I profoundly adore thee ; and I desire to make, by the 
purity and fervor of my homages, some amends for 
the injuries and outrages thou continually receivest, 
especially from so many, who sacrilegiously profane 
thee. Ah ! who would not bless this blood of infinite 
value! Who would not be all inflamed with love for 
Jesus Christ, who shed even the last drop of his blood 
for the love of us ! Ah ! what would be my fate, if I 
had not been redeemed with this divine blood ! my 
Jesus ! how immense is thy love, which has given us 
this salutary balm, for the cure of all our wounds, as 
a pledge of thy infinite charity and desire to save us. 
Ah ! grant that all hearts and all tongues may praise, 
bless, and thank thee now and for ever. Amen, 
y . Thou hast redeemed us, O Lord, in thy blood. 
R. And made us a kingdom to our God. 

LET US PRAY. 

ALMIGHTY and eternal God, who hast appointed 
thy only begotten Son, Redeemer of the world, 
and who dost vouchsafe to be propitiated by his blood ; 
grant us, we beseech thee, so to reverence the price 
of our salvation, and by its virtue to be so defended 
on earth from the evils of the present life, that we may 
rejoice in its perpetual fruits in heaven : Through the 
same Christ, our Lord. Amen, 

X. 

Whoever recites with devotion the seven Offerings of 
the precious blood of Jesus Christ, with the Glory be to the 
Father, and the ejaculatory prayer after each (offering them 
to God the Father, in reparation for the outrages that Jesus 
Christ receives by the forgetfulness, the abuse, and the 
contempt of his precious blood,) may, each time, gain 



INDULGENCES. 



553 



three hundred days' Indulgence. They who recite these 
prayers daily, may, once a month, on a day at option, gain 
a Plenary Indulgence. 

THE SEVEN OFFERINGS. 

1. 

ETERNAL Father, I offer thee the merits of the 
I precious hlood of Jesus Christ, thy well-beloved 
Son, and my divine Redeemer, for the propagation and 
exaltation of the holy Church, my tender mother; for 
the preservation and prosperity of cur holy father the 
Pope, for the cardinals, bishops and pasters of souls, 
and for all the ministers of the sanctuary. 
Glory be to the Father, $rc. 

May* Jesus Christ be for ever praised and thanked, 
for having saved us by his precious blood. 

2. 

ETERNAL Father, I offer thee the merits of the 
precious blood of Jesus Christ, thy well-beloved 
Son, and my divine Redeemer, for peace and concord 
among Christian kings and princes; for the humilia- 
tion of the enemies of the holy Church, and for the 
prosperity of all Christian people. 
Glory be to the Father, <frc. 

May Jesus Christ be for ever praised and thanked, 
for having saved us by his precious blood. 

3. 

ETERNAL Father, I offer thee the merits of the 
precious blood of Jesus Christ, thy well-beloved 
Son, and my divine Redeemer, to obtain light for un- 
believers ; the extirpation of heresies and schisms, and 
the conversion of sinners. 
Glory be to the Father, $rc. 

May Jesus Christ be for ever praised and thanked, 
for having saved us by his precious blood. 

4. 

INTERNAL Father, I offer thee the merits of the 
J precious blood of Jesus Christ, thy well-beloved 

47 



554 



INDULGENCES, 



Son, and my divine Redeemer, for all my relations, 
friends and enemies : for the poor, the sick and the 
afflicted ; in a word, for all those for whom I ought to 
pray, and for whom it is thy will that I should pray. 

Glory be to the Father, &c. 

May Jesus Christ be for ever praised and thanked, 
for having saved us by his precious blood. 

5. 

ETERNAL Father, I offer thee the merits of the 
precious blood of Jesus Christ, thy well-beloved 
Son, and my divine Redeemer, for all those who will 
die to day, that they may be preserved from the pains 
of hell, and immediately admitted into thy heavenly 
kingdom. 

Glory be the Father, $rc. 

May Jesus Christ be for ever praised and thanked, 
for having saved us by his precious blood. 

6. 

ETERNAL Father, I offer thee the merits of the 
precious blood of Jesus Christ, thy well-beloved 
Son, and my divine Redeemer, for all those who have 
a tender devotion to this holy blocd, this inestimable 
treasure and source of salvation ; for all those that are 
united with me in honoring and adoring it, and for all 
that zealously endeavor to extend this devotion. 
Glory be to the Father, <$rc. 

May Jesus Christ be for ever praised and thanked, 
for having saved us by his precious blood. 

7. 

INTERNAL Father, I offer thee the merits of the 
Jji precious blood of Jesus Christ, thy well-beloved 
Son, and my divine Redeemer, for all my spiritual 
and temporal necessities ; fo r the relief of the souls in 
purgatory, especially for those that were most devout to 
this holy blood, the price of our redemption, and to the 
dolors of the blessed Virgin Mary, our tender Mother. 
Glory be to the Father, <$rc. 



INDULGENCES. 



555 



May Jesus Christ be for ever praised and thanked, 
for having saved us by his precious blood. 

May the blood of Jesus Christ be glorified now and 
for ever. 

XI. 

They, who recite the following Offering to obtain the 
divine benediction, and add one Our Father, Hail Mary 
and Glory he to the Father, fyc, in honor of the most Holy 
Trinity, and in thanksgiving for all the benefits received 
from the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, may, each 
time, gain one hundred days' Indulgence. They, who re- 
cite these prayers daily, may, at the end of each month, 
gain a Plenary Indulgence. 

OFFERING. 

ETERNAL Father, we offer thee the precious blood 
which flowed from the right. hand of our Jesus, 
while this adorable hand was nailed to the cross, with 
such barbarous cruelty as to cause the most intense 
suffering; and, by the merits and virtue of this pre- 
cious blood, we supplicate thy divine Majesty to give 
us thy holy benediction, and to grant that it may be 
our defence against all our enemies, and our deliver- 
ance from all evil. To obtain this favor, we say : May 
the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, and the 
Son, and the Holy Ghost, descend upon us, and re- 
main with us for ever. Jimen, 

Our Father, $rc. Hail Mary, tyc. Glory be to the 
Father, $rc. 

XII. 

They, who recite devoutly, in honor of the sacred heart 
of Jesus, and before an image of this adoiable heart, the 
following Offering, may, every day, gain one hundred 
days' Indulgence ; and once a month, on a day at option, 
gain a Plenary Indulgence. 

OFFERING. 

IN., to be agreeable to thee, and to repair my infi- 
, delities, give thee my heart, and consecrate my- 



556 



INDULGENCES. 



self entirely to thee, my most amiable Saviour ! and 
I purpose, with the assistance of thy holy grace, never 
more to offend thee. 

XIII. 

They, who. having confessed and communicated, visit, 
on the first Thursday of the month, the most holy Sacra- 
ment, and recite, kneeling, the following prayer to implore 
the divine mercy, and to obtain graces for the holy Church, 
may gain a Plenary Indulgence ; and, on the same condi- 
tions, an Indulgence of seven years, and seven times forty 
days, on the other Thursdays. They, who, on any day 
whatever, recite this prayer, kneeling before the adorable 
Sacrament, may, each day, gain one hundred days' Indul- 
gence. 

PRAYER. 

LOOK, Lord, from thy sanctuary, from thy high 
dwelling place in heaven, and behold this most 
sacred Victim, which our great High-Priest, thy Holy 
Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, offers to thee for the sins 
of his brethren; and be propitious towards our mani- 
fold iniquities. Behold, the voice of the blood of our 
Brother, Jesus Christ, cries unto thee from the cross. 
Hear, Lord ! O Lord, be appeased ! hearken, and 
delay not for thy own sake, my God ! because thy 
name is invoked upon this city and upon thy people ; 
and deal with us according to thy mercy. Amen, 

XIV. 

They, who devoutly recite I he following : 

ETERNAL praise and thanksgiving be to the most 
holy and most divine Sacrament \ 

may gain every day an Indulgence of one hundred days : 
they may gain the same Indulgence, three times a day, 
during the octave of Corpus Christi, and on every Thurs- 
day throughout the year. They, who recite the same daily, 
may gain a Plenary Indulgence once a month, on a day at 
option. 



INDULGENCES. 



557 



XV. 

They, who are duly admitted into the confraternity of 
the blessed Sacrament, by spending one hour, at least, 
every year, in devout prayer before the blessed Sacrament, 
on any day they may think proper to select, may gain a 
Plenary Indulgence on that day, on the first Thursday of 
every month, and at the article of death. 

XVI. 

They, who recite devoutly the following aspiration : 

MAY the most just, the most high, and the most 
amiable will of God be in all things fulfilled, 
praised and exalted above all for ever; 

may gain every day one hundred days' Indulgence ; and 
if they recite it daily, they may gain once a year, on a day 
at option a Plenary Indulgence. They, who have, during 
their lives, often recited this aspiration, may gain a Plenary 
Indulgence at the article of death ; provided they accept 
death in a spirit of resignation to the will of God. 

XVII. 

They, who recite devoutly either the hymn, Come, Holy 
Ghost, send down those beams, fyc, or the hymn, Spirit, 
Creator of mankind, d/-c, may every day gain one hundred 
days' Indulgence ; and, on the feast of Pentecost and during 
the octave, three hundred days'. They, who recite either 
of these hymns daily, may, once a month, on a day at op- 
vion, gain a Plenary Indulgence. 

XVIII. 

They, who are duly admitted into the Confraternity of 
the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and who recite, with devotion, 
once a day, in honor of this adorable Heart, the Our Father, 
the Hail Mary, and the Apostles' Creed, with the ejacula- 
tory prayer, " Benign Heart of Jesus, let me ever advance in 
thy love," may gain, besides the Plenary Indulgence on the 
day of admission : 

1. A Plenary Indulgence on the festival of the Sacred 
Heart of Jesus, or on the Sunday following. 

2. A Plenary Indulgence on the first Friday, or first 
Thursday of every month. 

47* 



558 



INDULGENCES. 



3. A Plenary Indulgence once a month, on a day at 
option. 

4. A Plenary Indulgence at the article of death, if, with 
sincere contrition, they invoke the most holy name of 
Jesus, interiorly if not vocally. 

5. An Indulgence of seven years, and seven times forty 
days, on the four Sundays immediately preceding the feast 
of the Sacred Heart. 

6. An Indulgence of sixty days for every pious work de- 
voutly performed. 

7. The Members, who visit a church of the Sacred 
Heart, on the days of station marked in the Roman Missal, 
and there pray according to the intentions of the Sovereign 
Pontiff, may gain the same Indulgences, as those who ac- 
complish the stations mentioned in the decree of the con- 
gregation of Indulgences, (bearing date July 9th, 1777,) 
viz. : 

In Lent, at the station of Ash- Wednesday, and on the 
fourth Sunday, an Indulgence of fifteen years, and fifteen 
times forty days : on Palm Sunday, twenty-five years, and 
twenty-five times forty days : on Holy Thursday, a Plenary 
Indulgence : on Good Friday and Holy Saturday, thirty 
years, and thirty times forty days : on every other day of 
Lent, ten years, and ten times forty days. 

At the station of Easter Sunday, a Plenary Indulgence : 
on every other day of the octave of Easter, an Indulgence 
of thirty years, and thirty times forty days : on Ascension 
day. a Plenary Indulgence : on the Saturday before Whit- 
Sunday, ten years, and ten times forty days : on Whit- 
Sunday and every other day of the octave until Saturday 
inclusively, an Indulgence of thirty years, and thirty times 
forty days. 

On the first, second and fourth Sundays of Advent, an 
Indulgence of ten years, and ten times forty days : on the 
third Sunday of Advent, fifteen years, and fifteen times 
forty days. 

On Christmas, at the First Mass of Christmas night, and 
at the second at daybreak, fifteen years, and fifteen times 
forty days : at the third Mass, and at any time during the 
remainder of the day, a Plenary Indulgence : on the three 
festivals immediately after Chiistmas, on the day of the Cir- 
cumcision, on the Epiphany, and on Septuagesima, Sexa- 
gesima and Quinquagesima Sundays, thirty years, and 
thirty times forty days : on the feast of St. Mark the Evan- 



INDULGENCES. 



559 



genst, and on the three Rogation days, thirty years, and 
thirty times forty days. 

8. A Plenary Indulgence on the festivals of the Concep- 
tion, the Nativity, Annunciation, Purification and Assump- 
tion of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God : on All 
Saints and All Souls' day : on the feast of St. Joseph, the 
immaculate spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary : on the 
feasts of the glorious Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul, and 
of St. John, the Apostle and Evangelist, on condition of 
visiting the church of the Confraternity once. 

9. An Indulgence of seven years, and severi times forty 
days, on the other feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and 
on the feasts of the other Apostles, on condition of visiting 
the church above mentioned once. 

10. An Indulgence of seven years, and seven times forty 
days, may be gained every day of the Novena, preceding 
the festival of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The conditions 
are, a visit to the Church or public oratory where the fes- 
tival is celebrated, and prayer according to the intentions 
of the Sovereign Pontiff. 

11. A Plenary Indulgence, on each of the six Sundays 
or Fridays preceding the festival of the Sacred Heart, on 
condition of a pious visit as mentioned above, with prayer 
according to the intentions of the Sovereign Pontiff. 

It should be carefully remarked, that the Indulgences 
contained in the 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th paragraphs, 
where a visit to the Church is required, may, by a special 
grant, be obtained by such of the members as are sick or 
otherwise unable to comply with this condition, provided 
they perform the pious work into which the visit may 
have been commuted by their confessor. And by another 
grant, the same Indulgences have been extended to those 
who live in places in which there is no Church of the 
Sacred Heart. Persons so situated are not required to 
visit any Church, but only to comply with the ordinary 
conditions for gaining a Plenary Indulgence. 

OBSERVATIONS. 

1st. Pius VII, by a brief dated 25th January, 1803, 
granted to the secular priests of the confraternity of St. 
Paul the Apostle, at Rome, the faculty of associating to 
the congregation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, formed by 
the Church of St. Mary in Capella, any other congrega- 
tion, wheresoever formed, or to be formed according to the 



560 



INDULGENCES. 



same plan in honor of the Sacred Heart. It is also em- 
powered to communicate to any such associated congrega- 
tion its own Indulgences. 

2d. Throughout the confraternity in Rome, three Masses 
are regularly offered, every month, for the deceased mem- 
bers, by priests duly appointed. 

All the members are requested to apply to the deceased 
members, every month, a communion or some work of 
piety, or recite their beads for their repose. Besides, the 
names of the deceased members, when known, will be 
published in'the confraternity and registered, that they may 
be assisted by its prayers. 

3d. A Plenary Indulgence to all the faithful, who 
visit a Church or oratory, where the feast of the Sacred 
Heart is celebrated, and pray there according to the inten- 
tions of the Sovereign Pontiff : and permission is granted 
to transfer this festival to any day of the year, with the 
consent of the Diocesan Bishop ; and by a further privi- 
lege, the Missa Propria of the Sacred Heart of Jesus may 
be celebrated on the occasion. 

XIX. 

They, who recite devoutly, three times a day, in the 
morning, at noon, and towards night at the sound of a 
church bell, the Angelus Domini, in honor of our Saviour's 
Incarnation in the womb of the Blessed Virgin, may, each 
time, gain one hundred days' Indulgence. Those, who are 
prevented by any duty, from saying the Angelus at the 
sound of the Church bell, may gain the same Indulgences, 
provided they say it as soon as in their power. They, who 
say the Angelus three times every day, may, once a month, 
on a day at option, gain a Plenary Indulgence. 

The same Indulgences have been extended to those, who 
live in places in which this public signal is not given, pro- 
vided they perform this devotion regularly, and as near the 
appointed time, as their circumstances allow. See page 
58, note. > 

XX. 

They, who recite devoutly in the morning the Hail, holy 
Queen, &c, with the versicles : 

YOUCHSAFE that I may praise thee, Blessed 
Virgin ! Give me strength against thy enemies. 
Blessed is God in his Saints ; 



INDULGENCES. 



561 



and in the evening : We fly to thy patronage, d/C, with the 
versicles as above, to extend the devotion of the Blessed 
Virgin and the Saints, and to repair in some manner the 
injuries offered to them, may gain, each day of the week, 
one hundred days' Indulgence, and an Indulgence of seven 
years, and seven times forty days, on each Sunday : those 
who perform these devotions every day, may gain a Plenary 
Indulgence twice a month, on two Sundays of their own 
choice, on all the feasts of the Blessed Virgin, and the 
feasts of All Saints. 

XXI. 

If those, who are admitted into the confraternity of the 
Rosary, say, at least once a week, the whole Rosary, 
meditating at the same time on the mysteries of the life, 
passion, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ ; they 
may gain a Plenary Indulgence : 1. On the day of their 
reception ; 2. On the first Sunday of every month, and 
on the principal feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary ; pro- 
vided they visit, if possible, the Church or chapel of the 
Rosary; 3. At the article of death. Besides, they may 
gain one hundred days' Indulgence for each Our Father, 
and each Hail Mary, every time they recite the whole 
Rosary, or a third part of it. 

The beads should be blessed by a Religious of the order 
of St. Dominic, or by a Priest, who has received from that 
order the special power. 

N. B. Those, who are not capable of meditating, may 
gain the above Indulgences, by reciting the Rosary with 
devotion. 

XXII. 

They, who belong to a society of the Living Rosary, and 
recite the part of the Rosary assigned to them, may gain 
a Plenary Indulgence: 1. On the first festival after their 
admission; 2. On the third Sunday in each month ; 3. On 
the solemn feasts of Christmas, the Epiphany, the Cir- 
cumcision, Easter, the Ascension, Corpus Christi, Pente- 
cost, and Trinity Sunday ; also upon all the festivals of the 
Blessed Virgin, provided on those days they approach de- 
voutly the Sacraments of Penance and the holy Eucharist, 
and offer "up some prayers in a Church. Besides, they 
may gain an Indulgence of one hundred days, every time 
they recite their part of the Rosary during the week, and 
an Indulgence of seven years and seven quarantines (two 



562 



INDULGENCES. 



hundred and eighty days) every time they recite it on Sun- 
days and festivals. These Indulgences may be gained by 
those who are lawfully prevented from going to Church, 
provided they perform some other work of piety substi- 
tuted by their confessor. 

N. B. The Indulgences attached to the recitation of the 
Rosary, as mentioned in No. XXI, are also attached to the 
Living Rosary. 

XXIII. 

They, who are received into the confraternity of the 
Scapular ; have their names inscribed in the book of the 
Society, (which belongs to the order of the Blessed Virgin 
Mary of Mount Carmel ;) wear the Scapular constantly ; 
devoutly recite the prayers, and perform the other good 
works, prescribed by the rules of the confraternity, — may 
gain a Plenary Indulgence : V. On the day of their recep- 
tion ; 2. On the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount 
Carmel, the 16th of July, or on the following Sunday; 
3. On the feasts of the Conception, Nativity, Presenta- 
tion, Annunciation, Purification, Visitation and Assump- 
tion of the Blessed Virgin Mary; 4. On the feasts of St. 
Joseph, St. Teresa. St. Ann, St. Andrew Corsini, St. 
Mary Magdalen of Pazzi, St. Angel M. 5th of May, St. 
Albert 7th of August ; 5. On every third Sunday of each 
month ; 6. At the article of death, provided the sick per- 
son, having the Scapular on, with sincere contrition, if 
confession be impossible, devoutly pronounces the most 
holy names of Jesus and Mary. 

XXIV. 

They, who recite with devotion the Litany of the Blessed 
Virgin may gain every day three hundred days' Indul- 
gence. They who recite it daily, may gain a Plenary In- 
dulgence on the five principal feasts of the Blessed Virgin, 
viz. : the Conception, the Nativity, Annunciation, Purifi- 
cation and Assumption, provided, on these days, they visit 
a church or public oratory, and pray for the intentions of 
the Sovereign Pontiff. 

XXV. 

They, who recite with devotion the three following 
prayers, and the Hail Mary three times, in honor of the 
Blessed Virgin Mary, and to obtain, through her interces- 



INDULGENCES. 



563 



sion, grace to imitate her virtues, especially her purity, — 
may, every day, gain one hundred days' Indulgence ; and 
if they recite these prayers daily, they may, towards the 
end of each month, gain a Plenary Indulgence. 

MOST holy Virgin, elevated in heaven above all 
the Angels and Saints, I honor thee with my 
whole heart, as the daughter of the eternal Father, 
and I consecrate to thee my soul with all its powers. 
Hail Mary, <$rc. 

"^VITOST holy Virgin, elevated in heaven above all 
If I the Angels and Saints, I honor thee with my 
whole heart, as the Mother of the only Son of God, 
and I consecrate to thee my body with all its senses. 
Hail Mary, <$rc. 

MOST holy Virgin, elevated in heaven above all 
the Angels and Saints, I honor thee with my 
whole heart, as the beloved Spouse of the Holy 
Ghost, and I consecrate to thee my heart with all its 
affections; beseeching thee to obtain from the most 
Holy Trinity all the graces necessary for my salva- 
tion. 

Hail Mary, <$rc. 

XXVI. 

They who recite devoutly the Hail Mary seven times, 
adding, after each : 

MOST holy Mother, impress deeply on my heart 
the wounds of my crucified Jesus; — 

mpy, every day, gain three hundred days' Indulgence ; 
and if they recite these prayers daily, they may, once a 
month, on a day at option, gain a Plenary Indulgence. 

XXVII. 

They who sanctify the month of May, by performing 
every day, either in public or private, some particular de- 
votion in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and by endea- 
voring to practise some of the virtues of which she has been 



564 



INDULGENCES. 



the model, may gain, each day. three hundred days' Indul- 
gence, and. a Plenary Indulgence on one day at option. 

XXVIII. 

They who recite with devotion the following prayer to 
the Guardian Angel, may gain, each time, one hundred 
days' Indulgence, and, if they recite it daily, a Plenary In- 
dulgence once a month, on a day at option. Whoever re- 
cites it twice a day, in the morning and in the evening, 
may gain a Plenary Indulgence on the feast of the Guar- 
dian Angels. They who recite it frequently during life, 
may, at the article of death, gain a Plenary Indulgence. 

PRAYER TO OUR GUARDIAN ANGEL. 

ANGEL of God, my Guardian, since celestial 
goodness has intrusted me to thee, enlighten, 
guard, and direct me, this day, during my life, and at 
the hour of my death. Amen. 

XXIX. 

They who recite devoutly the hymn Te splendor et vir- 
tus, (f-c, with the anthem, versicle and prayer in honor 
of St. Michael the Archangel, and to obtain his protection 
in all temptations during life, and at the hour of death, — 
may gain, every day, two hundred days' Indulgence ; and 
if they recite this hymn, &,c, daily, they may gain a Ple- 
nary Indulgence once a month, on a day at option. 

XXX. 

They who recite with devotion, for the agonizing, the 
Our Father three times, in memory of the agony of our 
Lord, and the Hail Jlary three times, in memory of the 
sufferings of the Blessed Virgin, during the agony of her 
beloved Son, may, each time, gain three hundred days' In- 
dulgence ; and if they recite these prayers daily, they 
may, once a month on a day at option, gain a Plenary In- 
dulgence. 

XXXJ. 

They who recite with devotion, about an hour after sun- 
set, the Psalm, Out of the depths, <$,-c., with the prayer 
and the versicle, Eternal rest, (f-c, for the souls in purga- 
tory, may gain, each day, one hundred days' Indulgence, 



INDULGENCES. 



565 



and, if they recite it daily, a Plenary Indulgence once a 
year, on any day at option. 

The same Indulgences have been extended to those who 
have not an opportunity to recite it at the sound of the 
bell, provided they recite it at the appointed time. 

XXXII. 

They who spend a half hour, or at least a quarter, in 
mental prayer or meditation, may, once a month, on any 
day at option, gain a Plenary Indulgence. They who 
teach the method of mental prayer, as well as those who 
receive their instructions, may, each time, gain an Indul- 
gence of seven years and seven times forty days, and once 
a month a Plenary Indulgence. 

XXXIII. 

They who teach or learn the Christian Doctrine may 
gain the following Indulgences : 

1. Seven years, and seven times forty days, to all teach- 
ers who, on festival days, assemble their children and 
teach them the Christian Doctrine ; and one hundred days 
every time they explain it to them on ordinary days. 

2. One hundred days to all those who study for a half 
hour the Christian Doctrine, in order to learn it, or to 
qualify themselves to teach it. 

3. One hundred days' Indulgence to all fathers and mo- 
thers, every time they explain the Christian Doctrine to 
their children or servants. 

4. Three years on all feasts of the Blessed Virgin, to all 
the faithful, whether children or adults, who are accustomed 
to assemble, either in a church or school-room, to study the 
Christian Doctrine, provided they approach the sacrament 
of penance ; and seven years if thy receive holy commu- 
nion with the requisite dispositions. 

5. Clement XII added to the Indulgences seven years, 
and seven times forty days' Indulgence for all the faithful, 
who confess, communicate, and attend catechism, or the 
explanation of the Christian Doctrine, or who catechize or 
teach the Christian Doctrine ; and a Plenary Indulgence on 
the festivals of Christmas, Easter, and the Apostles St. 
Peter and St. Paul, to those who have the pious custom of 
assisting at instruction, or of instructing others. 



566 



INDULGENCES. 



XXXIV. 

When crosses or holy medals are duly blessed by a 
specially empowered priest, Indulgences may be gained by 
those who piously wear them, or who devoutly pray before 
them, whether they recite the divine Office, or that of the 
Blessed Virgin Mary, or the seven Penitential Psalms, or 
are accustomed to teach catechism, or perform other works 
of piety. They may gain partial Indulgences, and a Ple- 
nary Indulgence on the principal festivals of our Lord, and 
of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

XXXV. 

See p. 487, for the Indulgences attached to the six Sun- 
days' devotion in honor of St. Aloysius ; also, for the de- 
votions appointed for each Sunday. For further devotions 
on the same subject, see Pious Guide. 

XXXVI. 

A Plenary Indulgence may be gained in the Diocese of 
Baltimore, (as existing in 1792,) on the following days: 
1. From Christmas Eve to Epiphany, inclusively. 2. From 
the first Sunday in Lent to the second, inclusively. 3. From 
Passion Sunday to Holy Thursday, inclusively. 4. From 
the Vespers of holy Saturday to Low Sunday, inclusively. 
5. From Whit- Sunday to the end of the octave of Corpus 
Christi. 6. On the five great festivals of the Blessed Virgin 
Mary: viz., the Purification, Annunciation, Assumption, 
Nativity and Conception, and their octaves. 7. On the 
festivals of St. Peter and St. Paul, of St. Michael, the 
Archangel, and of All Saints, and their octaves. 

N. B. — The conditions of confession (except for those 
who have the pious custom of going to confession every 
week) and communion, are required to gain each Plenary 
Indulgence. 

XXXVII. 

They who belong to the arch- confraternity of the Imma- 
culate Heart of Pylary, may gain the following Indulgences. 

1. A Plenary Indulgence to all those who, after a con- 
trite confession of their sins, shall receive the Holy Com- 
munion on the day of their reception into the Confraternity, 
or on any of the following days ; the Sunday immediately 
preceding Septuagesima Sunday, the Circumcision of our 
Lord, the Purification, the Annunciation, the Nativity, the 



INDULGENCES. 



567 



Assumption, the Conception, and the Sorrows of the blessed 
Virgin Mary, the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle, and 
the feast of St. Mary Magdalen. 

2. Also a Plenary Indulgence to each member who re- 
cites daily the Angelical Salutation in honor of the Sacred 
Heart of Mary, for the conversion of sinners, — on the anni- 
versary day of his baptism, on the usual condition of re- 
ceiving the Holy Communion on that day. 

3. An Indulgence of five hundred days, any Saturday in 
the year, to all who shall devoutly attend a Mass in honor 
of the Sacred Heart of Mary, offered in any Church, where 
the society is established, and there pray for the conversion 
of sinners. 

4. A Plenary Indulgence to all the members twice a 
month, on any two days each one may select, provided, hav- 
ing worthily confessed and received the Holy Communion, 
they visit some Church, and pray for the Pope's intention. 

XXXVIII. 

Those who belong to the association of Bona Mors, may 
gain a Plenary Indulgence. 1. On the day of their admis- 
sion ; 2. At the hour of death ; 3. On the first Sunday of 
October ; 4. Once every month on any Sunday that may be 
selected for this end. Several partial Indulgences may 
also be enjoyed, by a general intention of gaining all that 
are attached to the works prescribed. 

OF PARTIAL INDULGENCES. 

There are many partial Indulgences granted by the Sove- 
reign Pontiffs, besides those already mentioned ; some of 
the most remarkable of which, are : 

t 

Five years and five times forty days, to those who 
piously accompany the blessed Sacrament to the houses 
of the sick : to those who carry a lighted taper, seven years, 
and seven times forty days : and one hundred days to those 
who, not being able to do so, will say the Lord's Prayer 
and the Angelical Salutation for the sick person. 

II. 

To those who are in the laudable and pious practice of 
frequent communion, or who communicate at least once a 



568 



INDULGENCES. 



month, ten years, on the feasts of our Lord, of the Blessed 
Virgin, and of all the Apostles; also, on the Nativity of 
St. John the Baptist. On all other feasts, seven years, and 
seven times forty days, provided they communicate and 
pray for the intentions of the Sovereign Pontiff. 

III. 

One hundred days, each time, to those who say with 
devotion the following Offering, in honor of the precious 
blood of Jesus Christ : 

OFFERING. 

T7TERNAL Father, I offer thee the precious blood 
Ij of Jesus Christ, in expiation of my sins, and for 
the wants of the holy Church. 

IV. 

Three hundred days, once a day, to those who recite de- 
voutly the hymn, Sing, my tongue, adore and praise, $c, 
with the versicle and prayer : one hundred days to those 
who recite only, To this mysterious table now, &c, with 
the versicle and prayer. 

Two hundred days, once a day, to those who recite de- 
voutly the following act of reparation : 

AN ACT OF REPARATION TO OUR SAVIOUR, FOR ALL 
THE OFFENCES COMMITTED AGAINST HIM IN THE 
MOST HOLY SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR. 

OMY Jesus, true God and true Man ! I prostrate 
myself before thee with all the respect that faith 
inspires, and I love thee with all my heart. I adore 
thee, hidden in the most holy Sacrament of the altar, 
in reparation for all the irreverences, profanations and 
sacrileges, which I have had the misfortune to com- 
mit, and for all those that have been committed by 
others, and which may be committed to the end of 
time. my God ! I am sensible that my adoration 
can never equal what is due to thee ; but, at least, I 
adore thee as profoundly as I can ; and I even desire 
that my adoration may be as perfect as that which all 



INDULGENCES. 



569 



reasonable creatures are capable of rendering to thee. 
I offer thee my intention to adore thee now and for . 
ever, not only for all those Catholics, who neither 
adore nor love thee, but for all heretics, schismatics 
and infidels ; for all blasphemers and magicians ; for 
Mahometans, Jews and idolaters ; in order that I may 
compensate for the worship which they owe thee, and 
obtain their conversion. my divine Saviour! may- 
est thou be ever known, adored, loved and thanked in 
the most holy and divine Sacrament. Amen, 

VI. 

One hundred days, once a day, to those who recite de 
voutly the following prayer, in honor of the most holy Sa- 
crament, and of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 

PRAYER. 

OMY amiable Saviour, how much hast thou loved 
me ! To give thyself entirely to me, thou hast 
prepared the divine banquet of thy precious body and 
blood. It is to the infinite charity of thy loving heart 
that we are indebted for this endearing proof of incon- 
ceivable love. O adorable heart of Jesus ! burning 
furnace of heavenly love, deign to receive my soul, 
through the opening of thy sacred side, into this school 
of charity, that I may learn to love more and more a 
God who has given me such proofs of his love for 
me. Amen, 

VII. 

Three hundred days 7 Indulgence to those who recite with 
devotion the Litany of the holy Name of Jesus. 

VIII. 

Three hundred days' Indulgence to those who recite 
with devotion, the three following ejaculatory prayers ; one 
hundred days to those who recite only one : 

JESUS, Joseph and Mary, I give you my heart and 
my soul. 

48* 



570 



INDULGENCES. 



Jesus, Joseph and Mary, assist me at my last hour. 
Jesus, Joseph and Mary, may I die in your com- 
pany. 

IX. 

Twenty-five days' Indulgence to those who devoutly 
pronounce the holy names of Jesus or Mary. 

The name Jesus, signifies Saviour : it recalls to our minds 
all that our divine Saviour has done for our salvation. Mary 
is the name of the Mother of our Jesus. 

X. 

One hundred days' Indulgence to those who salute each 
other, the one saying, Praised be Jesus Christ ; the other 
answering, Amen, or always, or for ever. To those, who 
have generally used this form of salutation during their 
life, a Plenary Indulgence is granted at the article of death. 
The same Indulgences are imparted to those that teach 
others this holy practice. 

XI. 

One hundred days' Indulgence to those who pronounce 
with fervor the following prayer : 

BLESSED be the most pure and immaculate Con- 
ception of the most blessed Virgin Mary. 

XII. 

One hundred days' Indulgence to those who recite with 
devotion, and in honor of the seven dolors of the Blessed 
Virgin, the hymn, Beneath the world's redeeming wood, fyc. 

XIII. 

An Indulgence of a year, to those who recite with devo- 
tion the hymn, Quicumque, <$>c, in honor of the holy Patri- 
arch St. Joseph, and to obtain his powerful protection 
during life, and at the hour of death. 

XIV. 

One hundred days' Indulgence to those who recite with 
devotion the following prayer to St. Aloysius Gonzaga. 



INDULGENCES. 



571 



A PRAYER TO ST. ALOYSIUS GONZAGA TO OBTAIN 
THE VIRTUE OF PURITY. 

AMI ABLE Saint, whose life was more angeli- 
cal than human ! I, thy most unworthy servant, 
come to confide, in a special manner, to thy pure 
hands, and to thy watchful solicitude, the purity of 
my soul and body. Angel of purity, I earnestly be- 
seech thee to intercede for me with Jesus Christ, the 
immaculate Lamb, and with his holy Mother, the Vir- 
gin of virgins, that I may be preserved from every 
grievous sin, and from the least stain of impurity. 

When thou seest me tempted, and in danger of sin- 
ning against that virtue which was so dear to thee, 
remove far from my mind and heart every unchaste 
thought and desire ; bring to my mind the thought of 
eternity, and of Jesus crucified ; fill my heart with 
the fear of God ; kindle within it the fire of divine 
love, and obtain, that after having imitated thy virtues 
here below, I may enjoy with thee, in heaven, the 
happiness to possess God, and to possess him for ever. 
Our Father and Hail Mary. 

XV. 

One hundred days' Indulgence to those who, on Fri- 
days, about three o'clock, say the Our Father and Hail 
Mary five times, for the conversion of sinners; 

XVI. 

Fifty days to those who devoutly pray for all who are in 
the agony of death, saying at least one Our Father and 
Hail Mary, or the Salve Fegina. 

XVII. 

Thirty days to those who reverently bow their head at 
the Glory he to the Father, $c. ; twenty days to those who 
do the same at the holy names of Jesus and Mary ; also, 
forty days to those who kiss the cross with sentiments of 
devotion. 

N. B. All the foregoing Indulgences may be applied to 
the souls in purgatory, by way of prayer or suffrage, ex- 



572 



PIOUS REFLECTIONS. 



cepting Nos. I, II, XXX, XXXII, XXXIV, under the 
head of Plenary; and Nos. I, II, IX, X, XI, XII, XIV, 
XVI, XVII, under the head of Partial Indulgences. 

When about to perform any devotion, to which an In- 
dulgence is annexed, it is well to renew our contrition for 
all our sins. 

• 

PIOUS REFLECTIONS FOR EVERY DAY IN THE 
MONTH.* 

THE FIRST DAY. 

FAITH. 

ALL that Faith teaches, is founded on the authority of 
God's word. It is from Christ himself that the Church 
has learned whatever she proposes to the faithful, as the 
object of their belief. One cannot go astray when truth 
itself is the guide ; and there is nothing more reasonable, 
than to submit reason to Faith. 

2. Of what use is faith to a Christian, if it be not the 
rule of his conduct ? It is the most consummate folly to 
doubt of a doctrine, which God has revealed, which so 
many martyrs have sealed with their blood, which has 
been confirmed by so many miracles, which the devils 
themselves have so often confessed ; but, it is a much 
greater folly to believe this doctrine true, and to live as if 
it were supposed to be false. Not to live conformably to 
our belief, is to believe just as the damned do. 

3. Faith, then, shall be henceforth the principle of my 
actions, and the rule of my life. Whatever it condemns, I 
also absolutely condemn, in spite of my natural repug- 
nance. I will oppose the maxims of the gospel, to those 
of the world, whenever the occasion offers. What does 
the world say? — That we must follow our inclinations, 
that we must suffer nothing, &c. What does Jesus Christ 
say ? — He says the very contrary ; but who is right, Jesus 
Christ, or the world? 

[Thank God for your being in the Church, and say the 
Creed slowly, as a solemn profession of your Faith.] 



From the French of F. Bonhours. 



PIOUS REFLECTIONS. 



O Lord ! increase our Faith. Luke xvii 5. 
What doth it avail to believe like a Catholic, and to 
live like a heathen. Peter Dam. 

SECOND DAY. 

THE END OF MAN. 

GOD alone is our last end. He could not create us ex- 
cept for himself. Our hearts tell us, that we are made 
for him ; we cannot disown it without belying ourselves. 

2. Every one should have what belongs to him ; let us, 
then, give ourselves to God, since it is he that has aright over 
us. If we be not his of our own accord, as his children, 
we must be his in spite of us as his slaves. We must, of 
necessity, live under the dominion of either his justice or 
his bounty. Which side shall we take ? 

3. Every thing should tend to its proper object, and act 
according to its nature. If the sun, which is made to shine, 
refused its light to the world, it would be a monster in the 
universe. That heart is not less monstrous, which being 
made for God, doth still refuse to belong to him. Do I 
behave myself as a creature, which belongs only to God ? 
Are all my thoughts — are all my actions directed to him ? 
Ah ! how little do I do, that may be said to be truly done 
for God ? What am I doing in this world, if I forget that 
only affair for which I came into it. 

[Make here a resolution of seeking God alone, and of 
depriving him of nothing which he has a right to.] 

Thou art my Lord and my God. John xx 28. 

He requires you entirely, who hath made you en- 
tirely. St. Austin. 

THIRD DAY. 

CONTEMPT FOR THE WORLD. 

FROM the moment we are attached to the world, we 
cease, in some measure, to be Christians. This pro ! ' 
fane world, so passionately fond of grandeur, of pleasure, 
of every thing that can flatter self-love, is the capital enemy 
of Jesus Christ. Their maxims, their commandments, 
their interests, are opposite. They cannot both be obeyed , 
we must break off with one or with the other. 
2. We cannot take part with the world, without a breach 



574 



PIOUS REFLECTIONS. 



of the promises we made at our baptism ; when we re- 
nounced Satan and his pomps, we bound ourselves down, 
by solemn oath, to trample under foot whatever is greatest 
in the esteem of worldlings. What perfidy ! what a sacri- 
lege ! to prefer the goods of the earth to those of heaven, 
and to become idolaters of vanity. 

3. The world has nothing worthy of an immortal soul ; 
it has not even wherewith to requite its most devoted ser- 
vants. Its treasures, its amusements, its honors, may oc- 
cupy and disturb the heart of man, but they cannot satisfy 
it. They are in reality but false goods, vain shades and 
illusions ; or, to speak more properly, they are real evils — 
they make a man wicked, they cannot make him happy. 
The most brilliant fortune is not only frail and dangerous, 
but is often a source of the most painful uneasiness. — There 
are sighs and sufferings upon the throne, as well as in chains 
and dungeons. 

[Beg of God to destroy in you the spirit of the world, 
and to give you strength to despise its allurements.] 

The fashion of thisVorld passeth away. 1 Cor. vii 31. 

" Wo to those, who adhere to what is transitory, because, 
with those things, they themselves must pass away." 

FOURTH DAY. 

DEATH. 

A CHRISTIAN has great reason to be afraid of death, 
when he does not live as a Christian. What a dread- 
ful account must he give, after a worldly and sensual life ! 
— What bitter regret, to have lost the opportunities of 
saving himself! To die an enemy of God! — O dismal 
death ! O dreadful moment ! which concludes the plea- 
sures of time, to begin the pains of eternity. 

2. What would we wish to have done, at the hour of 
death? Let us do at present, what, then, we would be 
glad to have done. There is no time to lose : every mo- 
ment may be the last of our life. The longer we have 
lived, the nearer we approach to the grave. Our death is 
not the less certain, because it has been put off. 

3. What will our opinion of this earth be, when we are 
forced to quit it ? Let us now take advice from death ; it 
is a faithful counsellor — it will not deceive us. What will 
become of this beauty, this money, this pleasure, this 
honor ? What are they thought of at the hour of death ? 



PIOUS REFLECTIONS. 



575 



In our lifetime, appearances deceive us ; at our death, we 
shall see all things as they are. Man, while alive, esteems 
tho world ; man dying, despises it. But which should we 
reasonably believe — man living, or man at the point of 
death ? Ah, how trifling will the world appear at the 
light of that torch, which faintly glimmers near the bed of 
death ! but, alas ! it will then be no longer time to unde- 
ceive ourselves. 

[Think seriously on what you chiefly apprehend, were 
you to die this moment, and regulate it immediately. Ac- 
custom yourself to perform every action, as if you were to 
die instantly after it. Above all things, observe this prac- 
tice in the use of the Sacraments.] 

There is but one step between me and death. 1 Kings 
xx 3. 

There is no to-morrow for a Christian. Tertullian. 
4 FIFTH DAY. 

THE LAST JUDGMENT. 

I MUST one day appear before the tribunal of Jesus 
Christ, to be there judged upon the good or the evil I 
shall have done. There is nothing more formal, or more 
express, in the gospel, than this truth. I believe it as 
firmly as if the last trumpet had already sounded to call 
up the dead. 

2. What shall we say at the sight of so many bad 
thoughts, of so many criminal actions, of so many graces 
despised ? O what a terrible day is the day of God's 
wrath ! Where the inmost recesses of the heart shall be 
openly exposed — where every fault shall be strictly exa- 
mined ! The just themselves shall be hardly found just. 
What then must become of unhappy sinners ? 

3. What sentence must an impenitent sinner expect 
from an offended and inexorable God? O tremendous 
condemnation ! Go, ye cursed, $>c, $c. Alas ! whither 
shall these miserable wretches go, to whom thou thus 
givest thy malediction? to what part of the world shall 
they retire, when they withdraw from thee ? where can 
there be so miserable a dwelling ? To be banished the 
presence of God ! to be accursed of God ! what a destiny 1 

[Imagine yourself, now, before the tribunal of Christ 
What are you ashamed of at this very moment ? Reflec' 
seriously on it, and remember that all your secret sins 



576 



PIOUS REFLECTIONS. 



shall at the day of judgment be exposed, if you do not here 
efface them by a sincere repentance.] 

Who can stand before the face of his indignation? 
Kahum i 6. 

Wo even to the praiseworthy life, if, without mercy, 
O God ! thou shalt examine it. St. Austin. 

SIXTH DAY. 

HELL. 

HOW great would be our horror, if the shrieks of the 
damned, if their groans and blasphemies, could reach 
us ! They roar like wild beasts ; they accuse themselves 
of their sins ; they bewail, they detest them. It is too 
late ; their tears but add new strength to the fire that tor- 
ments them. Repentance of the damned! how rigorous 
art thou, but, ah, how fruitless ! 

2. Never to see God ! to be burning in flames for ever ; 
the blood boiling in our veins, the marrow in our bones ! 
to be trampled on by devils ! to have all that is hideous 
for ever before our eyes ! to have rage, anguish, and de- 
spair, eternally rooted in our hearts, without comfort or 
mitigation ! O what a life ! 

3. These wretches are outrageous at having had so many 
opportunities of saving themselves, and having neglected 
them. The recollection of their past pleasure is one of 
their most sensible torments ; but nothing more keenly 
gnaws them than the impossibility of forgetting that God 
whom, by their own fault, they have miserably forfeited. 

[Go down, in spirit, into hell. Inquire of the damned 
what it is that has made them fall into it. Question them 
upon their present state, and learn of them to fear God, 
and dread your danger.] 

Which of you can dwell with devouring fire? Isaias 
xxxiii 14. 

The impious pass from one punishment to another — 
from the burnings of concupiscence to the flames of hell. 
St. Aug. 

SEVENTH DAY. 

ETERNITY OF THE PAINS OF HELL. 

CAN the wrath of God go farther than punishing plea- 
sures which are so soon over by tortures which will 



PIOUS REFLECTIONS. 



577 



never have an end ? To be miserable while ever God is 
God ! Can any misery be like it ? Is it not enough that 
the evils of the damned should be extreme ? Must they 
still, besides this, be eternal ? To be hurt by the point of 
a pin, is trifling in itself; yet, were this pain to last al- 
ways, it would become insupportable. What shall it be, 
then? 

2. O Eternity ! When a damned soul shall have shed 
tears enough to make up all the rivers and seas in the 
world, did he shed but one tear in every hundred years, he 
shall not be more advanced, after so many millions of 
ages, than if he had only begun to suffer ; he must begin 
again, as if he had yet suffered nothing; and when he 
shall have begun as often as there are grains of sand on 
the sea-shore, or atoms in the air, or leaves on the trees, 
he shall still be as far off as ever. 

3. The damned must not only suffer during eternity, but 
suffer every moment an eternity entire. Eternity is al- 
ways present to them ; it enters into their punishments ; 
their mind is incessantly struck with the endless duration 
of their torments. cruel thought ! O deplorable condi- 
tion ! to rage for an eternity ! to burn for an eternity ! Ah, 
that we could conceive this, as those damned souls con- 
ceive it ! 

[Make an act of faith upon the duration of the punish- 
ments which the justice of God inflicts for mortal sin. 
We must at least believe what we are not able to con- 
ceive. It is a great misfortune for a Christian not to be 
persuaded of this eternity, but by his own sad experience.] 

Those who do not obey the gospel shall suffer eternal 
punishments. 2 Thess. i 8, 9. 

Momentary is that which delights, eternal is that which 
tortures. St. Chrysoslom. 

EIGHTH DAY. 

HEAVEN. 

HEAVEN ! thou glorious state, no heart can conceive, 
no tongue can describe, what thou art ! Exemption 
from all that is evil ; assemblage of all that is good ; mas- 
terpiece of God's omnipotence ; the price of the blood of 
Jesus ; and more than man can desire ! 

2. To see God clearly, and as he is in his glory ; to love 
God without measure ; to possess God, without ever fear- 

49 



578 



PIOUS REFLECTIONS. 



ing to lose him ; to be happy in the felicity of God him- 
self: such is the object of my hopes. But a day or two 
of pilgrimage and exile, and then I shall be with him for 
ever. 

3. What matters it how we are here below, provided 
we be with Jesus for all eternity ? Can I justly complain, 
when a never-ending happiness costs me so little ? The 
martyrs purchased heaven at the price of their blood, and 
thought it was given them for nothing. Shall I not sacri- 
fice my corrupt will for it ? O happy eternity ! if men 
only knew what thou art worth ! 

[Excite within yourself a great desire of heaven ; and 
behold the earth with a proportionable contempt. Were 
you filled with a proper sense of it, nothing here below 
could allure or disturb you.] 

I shall be satisfied when thy glory shall appear. Psalm 
xvi 15. 

If the labor terrifies, the reward invites. St. Bernard. 
NINTH DAY. 

THE PRESENCE OF GOD. 

GOD, at this moment, beholds me, as if I were alone 
in the world ; or, rather, he is within me, as an eye 
infinitely enlightened, which observes me attentively, and 
which nothing can escape. He sees me as clearly as he 
comprehends himself, and with as intense an application as 
if he ceased to contemplate himself in order to study me. 

2. It is much more shameful for me that my sins should 
appear in his sight than that they should be exposed to the 
eyes of the whole world. Would I commit in the pre- 
sence of a servant what I dare commit before the King of 
kings ? What blindness, to fear so much the eyes of men, 
and so little the eyes of God ! 

3. The blackest darkness can never conceal me from 
light itself. The most distant and solitary retreats are al- 
ways filled with the Divine Majesty. I may shun, as 
much as I please, the sight and the company of men — I 
will find God everywhere. 

[Put yourself in the presence of God, and see whether 
there is any thing in you that may offend his eyes. Ac- 
custom yourself to practise this: it is a most powerful 
remedy against sin. God is looking at me: there needs no 
more to restrain me in the greatest violence of temptation.] 



PIOUS REFLECTIONS. 



579 



All things are naked and open- to his eyes. Heb. iv 13. 

If you are determined to commit sin, seek first a place 
where God will not see you, and then do what you please. 
St. Austin. 

TENTH DAY. 

THE CARE OF OUR SALVATION. 

THE business of Salvation is, properly speaking, the 
business of men : every thing else should be counted 
as nothing. The enterprises of kings, their negotiations, 
&c, are as the amusements and the triflings of children. 
The important, and the only affair, is to serve God, and 
thereby save ourselves ; the whole good, the whole perfec- 
tion of man, consists in this. It is not to be reasonable, it 
is not to be man, to neglect an affair, the consequences of 
which are so great, the success of which is so uncertain, 
and the loss of which is so irreparable. What blindness ! 
What folly ! to think only of living, and not to think of liv- 
ing well ; to apply so much to our fortune, and so little to 
the saving of our soul. What doth it avail a man to gam 
the whole world, and to lose himself? 

2. All creatures are made only for our salvation ; they 
become useless, when not employed for that great end. So 
that the moment a man ceases to labor for his salvation, 
the sun should cease to shine, the planets should stop in 
their course, the earth should no longer support him, the 
angels should abandon him ; he should fall back into his 
original nothing. He is unworthy of life, when he liveth 
not for God. 

3. However, the greater part of mankind think less of 
saving themselves, than of any thing else. Every thing is 
attended to, except the affair of salvation. All but that is 
turned to account : — this money must be put out to interest ; 
— this field must be tilled ; — these lands must be set out at 
more considerable rent. All losses are bewailed, except 
the one, which is beyond recovery. Great expenses are 
incurred for the body, and nothing at ail is done for the 
soul. From the manner in which we live, it would seem 
that our soul is not really ours, that it is the soul of our 
most mortal enemy, or the soul of some brute ; or rather 
that we have a soul just merely to destroy it. 

[Make now a resolution to save yourself, cost what it 
will ; be of the same sentiment with a certain pontiff", who, 



580 



PIOUS REFLECTIONS. 



when a king asked something of him, which could not be 
granted without sin, replied, " If I had two souls, I would 
give one of them to this prince ; but, as I have only one, I 
do not choose to forfeit it."] 

One thing is necessary. St. Luke x 42. 

Where there is the loss of salvation, there, surely, there 
can be no gain. St. Euch. 

ELEVENTH DAY. 

HORROR FOR SIN. 

HOW great a loss is the loss of God ! Men think 
themselves unfortunate when they lose all their pos- 
session at law, or by bankruptcy, or by some other acci- 
dent. What is it then, to lose an infinite good ! Unhappy 
is the soul, which loses its God by sin ! but far more un- 
happy the soul, who considers this loss as nothing. 

2. O sin ! how common art thou among men ! but how 
little, at the same time, art thou known to them ! Playing 
and amusing themselves, they become the execration of 
God ; and what play ? — what amusement is this ? God, 
who is all love, detests sin with infinite hatred. Should 
any thing, therefore, be so shocking in our eyes, as this 
hellish monster ! 

3. A soul in the state of grace is beautiful beyond ex- 
pression ; it is a brilliant image of God himself; the Holy 
Ghost animates it. But when mortal sin is allowed to in- 
fect it, this beauty is lost ; this light is extinguished : the 
Divine Spirit departs : the devil takes possession ; all then 
is darkness, filth and deformity. A God dying, was a 
dreadful spectacle, but mortal sin is yet more dreadful ; for 
Christ died but to atone for sin, and sin can daily frustrate 
all his merits ; he is crucified over and over ; his blood is 
trampled upon by all those who commit it. 

[Detest, at this moment, all your sins ; lament from your 
heart, the loss of God's grace ; there is no loss so much to 
be lamented ; it is the only loss which sorrow can repair.] 

What fruit had you in those things, of which you are 
now ashamed ? Rom. vi 21. 

Wo to that daring soul, which hoped that having re- 
tired from thee, she might still find something better. 
St. Austin. 



PIOUS REFLECTIONS. 



581 



TWELFTH DAY. 

REPENTANCE. 

EPENT and believe the Gospel," saith our Lord. 
He joins these two things, to teach us that the 
rigours of penance, and the profession of Christianity, are 
inseparable. During his mortal life, he was a penitent 
God, ever occupied in expiating our sins, to appease the 
justice of his Father. Surely, we should follow his ex- 
ample. If the Holy of Holies fasted, prayed and wept, 
what should not be done by such vile wretches as we are ? 

2. Sin must necessarily be punished, either by him who 
commits it, or by God, against whom it is committed. If 
sinners do not punish themselves in time, Divine Justice 
will punish them in eternity. The flames of hell must 
punish what the waters of penance do not efface. Is it not 
better to weep for a few days than to burn for eternity ? 

3. To be reconciled with God, it is not enough to pros- 
trate yourself before a Priest — to cover your head with 
ashes, and your whole body with haircloth. If you have 
not a sincere sorrow for your sins, if you do not entirely 
renounce your criminal attachments, you are an impostor , 
and not a penitent. Prayers, alms, fasting, all the macera- 
tions of the flesh, are but the outside of repentance ; the 
hatred of sin is the very spirit and essence of it. 

[Implore God's mercy for having led hitherto a life so 
opposite to the Gospel, and beg of him the grace to live for 
the future, as the first Christians did, in the constant prac- 
tice of penance.] 

Except you do penance, you shall all likewise perish. 
Luke xiii 5. 

To penitents I say — to what purpose is it that you be 
humbled, if, with this, you be not changed ? St. Austin. 

THIRTEENTH DAY. 

DELAY OF CONVERSION. 

I DEFER too long giving myself up to God. It would 
seem, that I intended to escape from his hands. Is it 
then a misfortune to belong to him ? — To-morrow, to-mor- 
row. — Why not to-day ? Why not at this very moment ? 
Will my chains be more easily broken to-morrow ? Will 
my heart be less hard ? no, certainly ! Time, that weakens 




582 



PIOUS REFLECTIONS. 



every thing, adds new strength to bad habits. By putting 
off the remedy, the complaint becomes incurable. 

2. What is it then that prevents our obeying the voice 
that calls us to repentance ? What is it that terrifies us ? 
There is great difficulty in changing our lives ; this cer- 
tainly must be granted ; but what should not a Christian 
do, who adores a crucified God, and who looks up to hea- 
ven ? If we have any thing to fear, it should be the abuse 
of God's graces. 

3. The future, — can I call it mine ? Is it a possession I 
am master of? pod waits for me, it is true, — the Scrip- 
ture tells me so : but still it does not tell me how long I 
am to live. He that has promised pardon to those that re- 
pent, has not promised another day to those who continue 
in their vices. Perhaps I shall have time, and perhaps I 
shall not ; — must I not have lost my senses, to rest my 
salvation upon a mere perhaps ? 

[Reflect now upon the time you have been deferring 
your conversion to God, and tremble at the sight of your 
danger.] 

I said — Now have I begun. Psalm Ixxvi 11. 

" We cannot be too cautious where eternity is at stake." 

FOURTEENTH DAY. 

HUMAN RESPECT. 

THE world speaks — let it speak on. Should the talk of 
fools hinder you from being wise ? But what will they 
say ? They will say, that you fear God more than you fear 
men. The greatest libertines will, in their souls, admire 
you, and will say within themselves, that you are doing 
right. What matter, after all, what people may say of 
you, if you do your duty, and that God be satisfied? 

2. What cowardice, to blush at the gospel ! To wear 
the livery of a prince is held honorable. Is it shameful to 
wear that of Christ ? The lowest mechanics make open 
profession of the trades they follow ; and Christians in the 
Church will blush at being Christians ! The Son of God 
will deny before his Father the Christian that before men 
shall have denied him. 

3. What, then ! is there any thing in Jesus that you 
should be ashamed of ? Is his name infamous ? Is it dis- 
graceful to follow his maxims and example ? You are not 
ashamed, perhaps, of being a libertine, a drunkard, a bias- 



PIOUS REFLECTIONS. 



583 



phemer — you even glory in it ; and yet you will blush at 
being a good man. But let people say what they will, the 
man that is most to be esteemed, is the man who serves 
God most faithfully, and who openly professes to serve 
him. 

[Ask yourself seriously, whether this phantom of the 
world does not frighten you, and prevent your fulfilling the 
obligations which the Christian religion imposes.] 

I am not ashamed of the Gospel. Romans i 16. 

Why should you fear, or be ashamed, when armed 
with the sign of the cross? St. Austin. 

FIFTEENTH DAY. 

DIFFIDENCE IN OURSELVES. 

WE have nothing to fear so much as ourselves. Our 
own weakness is more alarming than all the powers 
of hell united. A thought, a word, a single look is enough 
to overcome us. Angels have rebelled — Adam hath fallen 
— Solomon has bowed to idols — Peter has denied his 
master: when cedars have yielded, how shall frail reeds 
stand ? 

2. Our heart is our most dangerous enemy. Our senses, 
our passions are ever conspiring against us. We are van- 
quished almost without a struggle. Let us then never be 
so foolish, as to trust to ourselves. Many whom torments 
could not shake, have w r retchedly perished in a slight 
temptation — victorious over tyrants, but conquered by con- 
cupiscence. 

3. There is no man, how exemplary soever his conduct, 
that should not tremble at the justice of God; for he can- 
not be certain whether love or hatred be now in store for 
him. To the all-seeing eye of infinite perfection, angels 
themselves shall not appear without blemish. Sanctity 
may be lost in a single moment, and the saint may be 
transformed into an odious reprobate. We should all, 
therefore, cry out w T ith St. Philip of Neri, " Watch me, O 
Lord, this day, for abandoned to myself, I shall surely be- 
tray thee." 

[Beware of the occasions of sin, the most dangerous are 
often those of which you are least afraid.] 

Let him that thinketh himself to stand, take heed lest 
he fall. 1 Cor. x 12. 

Though you be in a place of safety, do not on that ac- 
count think yourself secure. St. Bernard. 



584 



PIOUS REFLECTIONS, 



SIXTEENTH DAY. 

THE USE OF DIVINE GRACE. 

WHATEVER grace we have, was dearly purchased. 
Our Saviour gave his blood for it. Therefore to 
reject a pious thought, to resist a holy inspiration is, in 
fact, to trample on the merits of Christ, and to frustrate, 
as much as we can, the ends he proposed to himself in 
dying for us. 

2. We are accountable to God, not only for the graces 
we have received, but also for those which he intended to 
confer on us, if we ourselves had not put an obstacle to 
them. His sun shines, we shut our windows against it, 
we are not less indebted to him for its light; for we may, 
if we please, make use of it. 

3. Many years, perhaps, has God been inviting us in 
vain. Soliciting, reprehending, threatening, to no manner 
of purpose. But let us remember that he is a creditor, w ho 
will not be thus put off, and that the longer our debt is 
unpaid, the more strictly will he require the interest. 
There is, possibly, a measure of sins, which being filled, 
God will at last abandon us. 

[Thank the Almighty now, for all his gifts and graces. 
Beg pardon for having been unfaithful to them, and resolve 
to correspond with docility, to all his suggestions for the 
future.] 

Unto whomsoever much is given, much shall be re- 
quired. Luke xii 48. 

Grace is followed by judgment. St. Basil. 

SEVENTEENTH DAY. 

THE EMPLOYMENT OF TIME. 

THE loss of time is one of the greatest disorders in the 
world. This life is so short — all its moments so pre- 
cious ; yet we live as if it were never to end, or as if we 
had nothing to fear. 

2. Alas ! if a damned soul had but one single moment 
of the time we are squandering, what use would he make 
of it ? Every instant of our life we may purchase a happy 
eternity. The opportunity of enriching, or amusing our- 
selves, we never miss, but the means of salvation appear 
indifferent to us. 

3. The day which is best employed, is not always the 



PIOUS REFLECTIONS. 



585 



one which has most forwarded out affairs, but that which 
has added most to our merits, and which God hath been 
best pleased with. Let us always so regulate our time, 
that God and our salvation may be our constant object. 

[Renew -the resolution you have taken, to serve God 
faithfully, and be intimately persuaded, that the time 
which is not employed for God, is so much time lost for 
ever.] 

God hath given to no man time for sinning. Eccles. 
xv 21. 

You have leisure to be a philosopher — you have not 
leisure to be a Christian. St. Paulin. 

EIGHTEENTH DAY. 

THE USE OF THE SACRAMENTS. 

THE Sacraments are the channels of divine grace. 
Through them the merits of Christ abundantly flow. 
We must take care to approach them worthily, for other- 
wise his merits shall not be able to reach us, nor shall our 
salvation, of course, be possible. 

2. The abuse of the Sacraments is a monstrous evil. 
They were instituted as a means of life, but are thus per- 
verted to eternal death. There is no medium — they must 
be our food, or our poison. How dreadful then to think, 
that after so many confessions we are so little improved, 
that after repeated communions, the same sinful course 
should still be followed ! 

3. The unworthy communicant receives his own con- 
demnation, and becomes, as it were, incorporated with his 
own ruin. What shall he answer, when called to an ac- 
count for his baseness ? How shall he escape, when ar- 
raigned for his daring profanations ? 

[Examine yourself carefully upon the use ycu have made 
of the Sacraments, and receive them for the future as if 
death were immediately to follow.] 

Let a man prove himself. 1 Cor. xi 28. 

There are bad Christians, who are called by the name 
of faithful, and are not such; by whom the Sacraments of 
Christ are dishonored and profaned. St. Austin. 



586 



PIOUS REFLECTIONS. 



NINETEENTH DAY. 

MASS. 

A SACRIFICE is an exterior or visible offering made 
by a lawful minister to God alone, in testimony of 
his supreme dominion. Our absolute dependence upon 
God, and the homage we owe him, render sacrifice essen- 
tial to religion. Hence, from the beginning of the world, 
it has been always offered. Abel, Noah, Melchisedech, 
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, have sacrificed to the Almighty, 
and a variety of sacrifices were prescribed in the written 
law of Moses. 

2. All these, however, were only weak figures of the 
sacrifice of Christ upon the cross. For sin was too great 
an evil, its guilt was of too black a die, to be ever effaced 
by the blood of sheep and oxen. No other atonement 
could possibly compensate for it, than the invaluable suf- 
ferings of a God. Therefore did he come. In the head of 
the book, it was written of him, that he should do the will 
of his Father. By the oblation of himself, he paid off all 
our debts. He closed up the abyss of separation, cancelled 
the handwriting of sin, that lay against us, and the sancti- 
fied he perfected for ever. 

3. Was not this enough? Most undoubtedly it was. 
Nay, one drop of his blood was fully adequate to all these 
purposes. Why then is the same sacrifice daily renewed 
in the Mass ? Why is he still immolated upon our altars ? 
Why is his body mystically drained of his blood, by the 
separate consecration of the two species ? Because hi3 
love for us would have it so. He would leave us a stand- 
ing memorial of his death. He would daily apply to our 
souls the infinite merits of it : just as he prays for us still, 
though his prayer on the cross was already heard for us. 
He would, as Priest for ever, according to the order of 
Melchisedech, continue to the end of time, the same un- 
bloody sacrifice. He was willing that his faithful on earth 
united, not only in spirit, but in outward ties of religion, 
should ever have this sacrifice before them, as the strongest 
bond of love, and the most perfect act of adoration. 

[Make a resolution to hear Mass every day, and to hear 
it with the devotion which so august a sacrifice requires. 
For this purporse go to the Church as you would to Mount 
Calvary ; adore Jesus Christ in this state of humiliation ; 
pay him your homage with fervor at the foot of the altar. 



PIOUS REFLECTIONS. 



587 



It is a shame for us, and most displeasing to him, that he 
is so deserted in the midst of our Churches, and that his 
court is empty, while kings on earth have their levies 
crowded.] 

In every place there is sacrifice, and there is offered to 
my name a clean offering. Malac. ill. 

He will then be our victim indeed, when we sacrifice 
ourselves to him. St. Gregory. 

TWENTIETH DAY. 

ALMS. 

E minister to Christ, when we relieve the poor. He 
abides in the Eucharist to receive our adoration, and 
to become our nourishment. He abides in the poor to 
excite our compassion, and to be fed by us in our turn. 
Happy the man, who gives alms to Jesus Christ, but 
wretched is he who refuses to assist him. Shall we feed 
our dog, and let Christ famish with hunger ! 

2. What we give to the great ones of the earth, may 
mostly be considered as forfeited ; but what we present to 
God is always attended with advantage ; he gives it back 
w T ith interest ; he repays with liberality the crumbs that 
are given for his sake ; his rewards are laid up, even for 
the cup of water. Play, luxury, and debauch, have ruined 
innumerable families, but alms have impoverished no 
one. 

3. Men, at the day of judgment, shall be accountable for 
their alms ; but what answer can the unfeeling rich make, 
when the poor shall accuse them ? When Jesus Christ 
himself shall reproach them with their insensibility ? " De- 
part from me, ye cursed, into eternal fire, for I was hungry, 
and you gave me not to eat ; I was naked, and you did not 
clothe me," &c. A heart that is hard to the poor, is the 
heart of a reprobate ; but, on the contrary, a soul that is 
truly charitable is a soul predestined. And what can 
our judge say against us, when he shall see our clothes 
upon himself — when he shall see our bread and our money 
in his own hands ? We may approach this awful tribunal 
with confidence, provided the poor be our advocates. 

[Consider seriously how you behave to the poor; whe- 
ther you treat them as members of Christ, and do them all 
the good in your power.] 




588 



PIOUS REFLECTIONS. 



He that hath mercy on the poor, lendeth to the Lord, 
and he will repay him. Proverbs xix 17. 

Give unto all, lest he whom you refuse be Jesus himself. 
St. Austin. 

TWENTY-FIRST DAY. 

EXAMPLE. 

BAD example has damned more souls than all the 
saints together were ever able to save. Were the 
gates of hell to be laid open, scarcely could any one be 
found, that would not say, it is such, or such a one, that 
has damned me. What a reproach ! We are commanded 
to love our enemies ; why then should we destroy souls, 
who have never done us an injury ? A man who has been 
unfortunate enough to ruin souls, redeemed by the blood 
of a God, has much cause to fear for his salvation. What 
can we reasonably hope from Jesus Christ, after having 
torn from him what he hath so dearly purchased ? 

2. O fathers and mothers, who do not live as Christians 
ought to do, it were far better for your children that they 
had not been born ! You have given them life, only to put 
them to death — to that dreadful death which is eternal ! 
When they shall require of you the heaven they have lost, 
what will you be able to answer them ? 

3. Let us clothe ourselves with Jesus Christ, according 
to the words of the apostle. Let his conduct, his virtue, 
and his spirit shine forth in us ; so that he may be remem- 
bered, when we are seen. We contribute not less to our 
neighbor's salvation, by an edifying life, than to his damna- 
tion by a scandalous one. 

[Be very careful to do nothing, that may scandalize your 
neighbor ; and humbly beg pardon of God for the sins you 
have occasioned.] 

Wo to that man, by whom the scandal cometh. St. 
Matt, xvii 7. 

The scandalous sinner must answer for the crimes which 
his bad example hath caused to be committed. Salvian. 

TWENTY-SECOND DAY. 

MORTIFICATION. 

E are not Christians to be rich, and to live at our 
ease. It was not necessary to institute Christianity 
for that purpose. The world might have been left as it 




PIOUS REFLECTIONS. 



539 



was, under the empire of passion and opinion. The life of 
a Christian is a crucified life ; unless the cross be loved, 
faith must be renounced. 

2. What does the Gospel say ? Blessed are ye that 
weep — Wo to you that are rich ! for you have your conso- 
lation. Luke vi 21, 24. Such is the language of the Holy 
Ghost. But it is now looked upon as nonsense to believe 
that felicity consists in tears, and that the rich are unhappy. 

3. The Son of God was to die on the cross, that he might 
take possession of his glory. The saints have arrived at 
heaven, only by the path of sufferings. Shall we then 
imagine, that what the Son of God and the saints have so 
dearly purchased, shall be given to us for nothing ? The 
cross is the distinctive mark and portion of the elect. A 
soul which suffers nothing, and is resolved to suffer no- 
thing, has the strongest character of a reprobate. We must 
necessarily suffer in this world, or suffer in the next. 

[Adore Christ crucified, and beg of him the grace to 
participate now in his suffering life, that you may, one day, 
participate in his life of glory.] 

Whosoever doth not carry his cross, and come after me, 
cannot be my disciple. LuJce xiv 27. 

What a shame to be the delicate member of a head 
crowned with thorns. St. Barnard. 

TWENTY-THIRD DAY. 

CONFORMITY TO THE WILL OF GOD. 

THE greatest happiness of a reasonable creature, is, to 
will that which its Creator willeth ; it is in this pre- 
cisely, that real sanctity consists. The saints are saints 
only because their will is in conformity with the will of 
God. Whatever virtue we may have, if we have not that, 
we are not truly virtuous. 

% A soul that is not satisfied with the will of God seems 
to doubt, in some measure, of his authority. To desire 
that what he ordains and permits in this world should go 
on otherwise than it does, is to desire that God should not 
be master. Every thing that happens to us, happens by 
his order; and is it not just to acquiesce in whatever is or- 
dained by an infinite wisdom ? 

3. All things, but sin, fall out by God's appointment. 
Though his arm be raised to strike," we are sure that his 
hand is conducted by his heart. What have we to fear 

50 



590 



PIOUS REFLECTIONS. 



from a heart that loves us ? We will then desire nothing 
but what he pleases. We will not complain of losses, 
sickness, troubles, &c. The name and the nature of these 
things are changed, as they pass through the hands of 
God. What the world calls misfortune, affliction, dis- 
honor, is an advantage, a grace, and a favor from heaven, 
when considered in the order of Providence. 

[Renounce your will, and beg of God that his may be 
accomplished in you.] 

Yea, Father ! for so it hath seemed good in thy sight. 
Matt, xi 26. 

He is pleasing to God, to whom God is pleasing. St, 
Austin. 

TWENTY-FOURTH DAY. 

CONFIDENCE IN GOD. 

GOD is the great Father of mankind ; our Lord Jesus 
Christ has taught us to call him so. Not even a hair 
shall drop from our heads without his knowledge. His 
providence reaches from end to end, disposing all things 
sweetly. What madness, therefore, to doubt of his protec- 
tion, or to be slow in trusting to his guidance ! 

2. The insects are an object of his care : much more 
we, who are created to his image, and redeemed by the 
blood of his only-begotten Son. God feeds the infidels, 
who know him not ; he heaps favors on the impious, by 
whom he is blasphemed. What will he not do for Chris- 
tians, who honor and love him ? 

3. Our affairs are much better off in his hands than they 
could be in our own. Let us leave all to him : he is at 
once our Father and our Creator. The tenderness he has 
for his children obliges him to take care of them. He has 
promised us his protection : he will be as good as his 
word. Sooner shall the heavens and the earth be de- 
stroyed than a man perish whose confidence is in God ! 

[Examine your heart, and see whether your confidence 
be worthy the goodness of God, and the merits of Jesus 
Christ.] 

Thou art my God : my lots are in thy hands. Psalm 
xxx 16. 

Throw yourself upon him : he will not withdraw, to let 
you fall. St. Austin. 



PIOUS REFLECTIONS. 



591 



TWENTY-FIFTH DAY. 

THE LOVE OF GOD. 

(""1 OD has loved us so far as to give us his only Son. If 
3T he had had any thing better, he would have given it 
to us. Is it not purchasing our love very dearly to pur- 
chase it at this rate ? A trifling bounty is entitled to our 
love : why then shall we not love a bounty that is infinite ? 
What ! does its being infinite render it less amiable ? 

2. God commands me to love him. Is that command- 
ment rigorous which orders us to love what is infinitely 
worthy of our affections? He commands us to love him 
with all our hearts. Is a heart so small too much for a 
God so great? But in saying all, he admits of no excep- 
tion. Whatever share I give him, if I give him not all, I 
give him nothing. 

3. If eternity could have an end, the torments of hell, 
even in the judgment of the damned, would not be too 
much to obtain his heavenly love. There is not one of 
those miserable souls that would not think itself happy, if, 
after ages of suffering, it could love that infinite beauty. 
We can love God if we please ; every moment invites us 
to it : not to do so while it can be done, is a monstrous in- 
sensibility. 

[Disclaim every love but that of God alone, and endea- 
vor to love him above all things.] 

If I have not charity, I am nothing. 1 Cor. xiii 2. 

If we had a difficulty to love God first, we certainly 
should have none to love him after he has loved us. St. 
Austin. 

TWENTY-SIXTH DAY. 

THE LOVE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. 

THING was ever purchased at so dear a rate as my 
soul. A divine life was given to redeem it. I de- 
served hell; justice cried out for punishment: but Christ 
would listen only to his heart. It pleaded in my behalf, 
and obtained forgiveness. If I return him not life for life, 
the least I can do is to return him love for love. 

2. The dog that I feed, watches, caresses, and attends 
me. Jesus has given his blood for me, and continues to 
give himself ; yet I am still insensible. Learn, then, un- 
graceful soul, thy duty from a brute! Thy dog is thy 




592 



PIOUS REFLECTIONS. 



teacher and thy judge. If his example reform not thy 
heart, thou art more brutal than he is. 

3. We can feel for our friends ; we are not insensible of 
the good they do us ; we pique ourselves upon gratitude. 
Shall we be ungrateful only to Christ ? Shall he alone find 
us hard-hearted? Had we ever a friend that sacrificed 
himself for us ? 

[Beg the love of Jesus from Jesus himself. Without 
his grace, we shall never be able to love him.] 

II any man love not our Lord Jesus, let him be ana- 
thema. 1 Cor. xvi 22. 

If I owe myself entirely for having been created, what 
shall I add for having been redeemed, and redeemed in so 
excellent a manner? St. Bernard. 

TWENTY-SEVENTH DAY. 

THE LOVE OF OUR NEIGHBOR. 

IF we love not our neighbor, we cannot love God. What- 
ever good we do, it is all nothing, if we do not love our 
brethren. Even martyrdom itself will not avail us, with- 
out charity. 

2. "This is my commandment," said Jesus, "that ye 
love one another, as I have loved you." St. John xv 12. 
Had mankind nothing else than Christ's love to endear 
them, they are objects of esteem for that very reason. If 
our Saviour has loved them, shall we refuse to do so ? 

3. Do we love all men, as Christ has loved them ? Do 
we thirst for their salvation, as he did? Do we do by them 
as we would be done by ? 

[Excite yourself to love those whom our Lord Jesus 
Christ has loved so tenderly. Firmly purpose to promote 
their salvation, and never to do what may offend against 
charity.] 

,He that loveth his neighbor, hath fulfilled the law. 
Mom. xiii 8. 

By charity alone, the children of God are distinguished 
from the children of Satan. St. Austin. 

TWENTY-EIGHTH DAY. 

THE LOVE OF OUR ENEMIES. 

SO essential is charity to the Christian religion, that we 
are obliged to love even our enemies. Christ has 



PIOUS REFLECTIONS. 



593 



given the commandment, and set the example. A God 
orders this : shall we find it hard to obey ? A God for- 
gives his very executioners, and we refuse to pardon a 
brother ! 

2. He that will not forgive, shall not be forgiven. God 
will not pardon us, but as we pardon others. If we seek 
revenge, we call down God's anger upon us. We must 
either love our enemies or hate ourselves. 

3. It would seem that two Christians who hate each 
other are not really professors of the same religion; for 
can they approach the same altar, eat the same food, be- 
lieve the same heaven, and nope to be together eternally? 
Mutual hatred is allowed but to the devils — it belongs to 
them alone. There is not a more formal sign of reproba- 
tion than refusing to pardon ; and a soul with that mark 
may be looked on as marked for hell. 

[Examine your heart at the sight of the crucifix : and if 
you feel a hatred for any person, take sentiments of charity 
from the wounds of Jesus.] 

Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer. 1 John 
iii 15. 

You, a Christian, desire to be revenged ! but Christ hath 
not yet taken vengeance. St. Austin. 

TWENTY-NINTH DAY. 

THE IMITATION OF OUR LORD. 

THE Son of God, when he united his divinity to our 
human nature, became the model of Christians. He 
is the head of the predestined ; w r e are therefore bound to 
resemble them. 

2. The manners of the world are carefully studied ; the 
life of Jesus Christ is hardly thought upon Courtiers 
form themselves upon their prince ; philosophers have 
been imitated, even in their faults. Did we ever seriously 
sti ive to imitate Jesus ? Have we taken any pains to fol- 
low his example, or copy the virtues of his holy life ? 

3. What shall we say for ourselves at the awful tribunal 
of divine justice, whenwe shall be compared to our model ? 
When the life of Jesus shall be opposed to our life ? his 
humility to our pride, his w^ounds to our delicacy, his 
sweetness to our anger and impatience, &c. ? Ah ! what 
a monster is a Christian without Christianity ? Baptized ! 
and a slave of the devil ! Under the banner of the Cross ! 

50* 



594 



PIOUS REFLECTIONS. 



yet a follower of the flesh, and of the world ! We must 
then renounce our baptism, or conform to the life of our 
Saviour. 

[See whether you bear any resemblance to the Son of 
God, and whether you may be truly considered as a disci- 
ple of a crucified Jesus.] 

Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou shalt go. 
St. Matt, viii 19. 

Without cause am I a Christian, if I follow not Christ. 
St. Bernard. 

THIRTIETH DAY. 

FERVOR IN THE SERVICE OF GOD. 

LET us have as much zeal for God as he has for us ; he 
acts exteriorly only for the perfection of our souls. All 
the desires of his heart ; all the cares of his providence ; 
all the tenderness of his mercy, are referred to this. What 
a subject of confusion for tepid souls ! 

2. Were we to judge of God by our own indifference, it 
might be said that he does not deserve our services, and 
that his rewards are very trifling. What idea can be had 
of a master whose servants attend him carelessly, and with- 
out the smallest affection? We dishonor God, we cry 
down his service as often as we perform negligently what 
he requires of us. Wo be to the man, who does the work 
of God without attention! 

3. An action done for God, how trifling soever it be, is 
of far greater value than all the exploits of heroes. If we 
pique ourselves upon so much courage, in laboring for 
vanity, what should be done when we are employed for 
eternity ! — What ! — the servants of the devil spare no 
pains ; they do not complain of what they go, through ; they 
are ever indefatigable : is Jesus Christ less considerable 
than the devil ? Is paradise less valuable than hell ? Hell 
then, shall be, as it were, our instructor. We are to love 
God, as much as the damned hate him: we are to serve 
God, as the world serves the devil. Is this too much ? 

[Examine your conduct, with regard to the service of 
God. Consider the actions you are most remiss in, and 
excite yourself to perform them, henceforth, with a fervor 
worthy your master.] 

In spirit fervent, serving the Lord. Bom. xii 11. 

Let the ardor you formerly had for the world, be now 
entertained for him that created it. St. Austin. 



RULE OF LIFE. 



595 



THIRTY-FIRST DAY. 

DEVOTION TO THE MOTHER OF GOD. 

A PURER, a more excellent, or a more amiable being 
than this glorious Virgin, was never yet created. God 
having, from all eternity, destined her to be the Mother of 
his Son, it was proper she should be embellished with 
every created excellence, and that her dignity and influ- 
ence in heaven should far surpass the dignity and influence 
of ail the other saints. Most justly, then, is she entitled to 
our veneration, respect and confidence. 

2. We will put ourselves under her protection ; we will 
recommend ourselves to her prayers. How great soever 
our wickedness, how numerous soever our faults shall 
have been, we will always have recourse to her, and hope, 
through her prayers, for the grace of our conversion. Her 
charity is so great, her interest is so powerful, that she 
must always plead successfully for the repenting sinner. 

3. But let us never forget, that to honor her properly, is 
to imitate her virtue : that to persevere in sin, upon the 
hopes of her future intercession, is most absurd, impious, 
and detestable. Her hatred of this evil should be always 
before our eyes ; her purity, her mildness, her patience, 
should ever be present to us. 

Hail, full of grace. Luke i 28. 

name ! under which no one should despair. St. Austin. 



RULE OF LIFE FOR A PIOUS CHRISTIAN* 

NECESSITY OF A RULE. 

XT is not enough to do good ; we must do it well, that is, 
B according to. order, t This is the only way of discharg- 
ing our obligations with facility, constancy, and merit. It 
is of the utmost importance, therefore, that a Christian 
consult his spiritual director w r ith regard to the regulation 
of his actions, the hour of performing them, the time and 
method to be employed in them, and the spirit with which 
they should be animated. 



* Taken chiefly from the writings of Father Nepveu. 
t Let all things be done . . according to order. 1 Cor. 
xiv 40. 



596 



RULE OF LIFE. 



OF RISING AND MORNING PRAYER. 

HAVE a regular hour for rising in the morning, and let 
nothing, if possible, prevent you from observing it. 
Immediately raise your mind and heart to God, and while 
dressing recite some prayers, or occupy your thoughts with 
the subject on which you are to meditate. Then say your 
morning prayers, before attending to any thing else, and 
endeavor to foresee the occasions you may have during the 
day of offending God, that you may take the necessary pre- 
cautions against them. 

OF HEARING MASS. 

ASSIST at Mass every day, and in such manner as the 
sanctity of the action and your own spiritual interests 
require ; that is, with those dispositions of fervor and re- 
collection which are necessary, to honor the holy mysteries 
and to derive from them the benefits which they are capable 
of conferring. 

OF MEDITATION. 

FAIL not every day to devote half an hour, or at least 
fifteen minutes, to meditation on some truth of reli- 
gion. If you once bring yourself to understand the im- 
portance of this holy exercise, you will always find suffi- 
cient time for it, and practice will soon make it easy and 
familiar to you. 

OF MEALS. 

TAKE your meals with a pure intention, that is, because 
it is the will of God. Remember that it is not for your 
pleasure or to gratify your appetite that you should eat or 
drink, but to support nature, and maintain your strength 
for the divine service. Always say grace both before and 
after meals ; be careful to avoid all intemperance and sen- 
suality, and practise some act of mortification. Endeavor 
to shun eating between meals, when there is no necessity 
for it. 

OF WORK OR ORDINARY EMPLOYMENT. 

OFTEN call to mind that sentence passed upon all man- 
kind, In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat bread, till 
thou return to the earth, out of which thou wast taken; for 
dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt return. Gen. iii 19. 
In consequence of this sentence, submit yourself to the 



RULE OF LIFE. 



597 



labors of your calling, as a penance laid upon you by the 
Almighty, and go through them with a penitential spirit, 
offering them up daily to God for your sins. 

Acquaint yourself well with the obligations of your state 
of life, knowing that they form an essential part of the duty 
imposed on you by the law of God. Fathers, mothers, 
husbands, wives, masters, mistresses, children, servants, 
all have their particular and indispensable obligations. 

Fly idleness as the mother of all mischief; and, if your 
condition in life does not oblige you to any work or em- 
ployment, by way of seeking your bread, yet always occupy 
yourself in something useful, for your soul's sake, that the 
devil may never find you idle. 

In the beginning of your work direct your intention to 
God : consider what you are taking in hand as a business 
allotted you by him, and let your design in doing it be to 
please him. Almighty God most certainly appoints to 
every one in his family his respective employment : em- 
brace then yours in consequence of the will of God ; and 
offer up both yourself and your work, from time to time, 
to him, in union with the works in which your Saviour 
was employed in this mortal life. 

In the midst of your work, let your interior, as much as 
possible, be taken up with God by recollection : make a 
closet in your heart for Jesus Christ, invite him thither, 
and entertain him as well as you can: seat yourself with 
Magdalen at his feet, and make frequent aspirations of love 
to him. 

If in your work you would amuse yourself with singing, 
instead of profane or lewd songs, sing hymns and praises to 
God ; and if you work in f he company of worldlings, set a 
particular guard over your heart, that it draw not in the 
infection of their vain and wicked discourse. 

Perform all your works with due care to do them well, 
not as pleasing the eyes of men, but the eyes of God ; in 
whose presence, and for whom you ought to do all that 
you do. And when, by his will, you are called away from 
your work, as you are to be willing to do it for him, so you 
must be willing to leave it for him. 

Take care to mortify that over-great eagerness with 
which you sometimes find yourself set upon your work, and 
do all with calmness and peace, if you would have God be 
with you. 



598 



RULE OF LIFE. 



OF CONVERSATION. 

IF any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man. 
St. James iii 2. There is no time in which a Chris- 
tian is more obliged to be on his guard than in his conver- 
sation, on account of the many ways in which we are liable 
to offend God. Four principal faults are to be avoided in 
conversation : vanity, which breathes a love of the world, 
and is opposed to the maxims of the gospel ; slander and 
detraction, which implicate in sin those who speak, and 
those who take pleasure in listening, or who do not pre- 
vent the discourse when it is in their power ; looseness of 
speech, that is contrary to modesty, and gives rise to a 
multitude of evil thoughts, desires and actions : raillery, 
which so often degenerates into a want of civility and cha- 
rity. Let your words be few and edifying, and always 
governed by a due regard for those by whom you are sur- 
rounded. 

OF VISITS. 

THERE are visits of necessity which you should en- 
deavor to sanctify by a pure intention, that is, by a 
desire to discharge your duty and follow the order of Pro- 
vidence. There are also visits of charity, which should 
be made in a spirit of religion. As to those which civility 
requires, consider them as the bonds of social life, anci. 
regulate them according to the maxims of the gospel. But 
visits of a dangerous nature are to be absolutely avoided : 
and those which are vain and useless you will not indulge 
in, if you reflect seriously upon the value of time, and how 
little leisure they have who know their duties and desire 
to perform them. 

OF RECREATIONS. 

ECREATION should be resorted to as a remedy; 
and as remedies ought not to be hurtful, or danger- 
ous, or too frequently employed, we must take care to avoid 
in recreation what may be excessive or injurious. If crimi- 
nal pleasures are to be always avoided, those which are 
innocent should be used with moderation, and never at the 
expense of any duty that demands attention. When en- 
gaged in any amusement, endeavor not to apply to it with 
too much earnestness, that would expose you to a violation 
of charity or to waste of time. Public balls, the drama, 
and the opera, and all exhibitions or gatherings that may 




RULE OF LIFE. 



599 



be the occasions of sin, are to be absolutely avoided, as the 
worst enemies of Christian piety. The same is to be said 
of reading books which are irreligious, immoral, or devot- 
ing a considerable time to those which are vain and frivo- 
lous, and tend only to amuse the fancy, without forming 
the judgment or improving the heart. 

OF READING GOOD BOOKS OR HEARING THE WORD 
OF GOD. 

LET not a day pass without employing at least one 
quarter of an hour in reading some spiritual book ; 
and a more considerable time on Sundays and Holydays ; 
advise with your director what books may be most proper, 
and endeavor to procure them for yourself and family. 

Begin your reading by an humble invocation of the Holy 
Ghost, that you may profit by it ; read leisurely and atten- 
tively, so as to let the lessons which you read have time 
to make proper impressions upon you, and to sink deep 
into your heart. Pause awhile upon such places as touch 
you most : and from time to time excite affections and re- 
solutions in your soul, suitable to the subject which you 
are reading. 

Look upon it, that as when you are praying, you are 
speaking to God, so when you are reading or hearing his 
word, he is speaking to you. As then you desire he should 
hear you when you speak to him, so take you care to 
hearken faithfully to him when he speaks to you : and lay 
up carefully in your heart the seed of his divine word, that 
it may not be picked up by the fowls of the air, your in- 
fernal foes, or carelessly trodden under your feet. 

Hear the word of God as often as you have an opportu- 
nity : and on such occasions, endeavor to purify your souls 
as much as you can, from all vain curiosity ; mind not the 
eloquence or action of the preacher, but attend to the truths 
which he delivers ; do not say within yourself, how well 
does this or that suit with this or that person ; but consider 
what suits with yourself, and lay it up in your mind for the 
rule of your comportment for the time to come. 

After reading or hearing the word of God, give thanks 
to his divine Majesty for the instructions he has given you 
therein ; single out some one or more particular points for 
your practice that very day, and beg of God that he would 
imprint them in your soul, that you may remember them, 
and put them in execution. Remember that the word of 



600 



RULE OF LIFE. 



God heard and read, and not put in practice, will one day 
rise in judgment against you. 

If you are master or mistress of a family, see that those 
under your charge want not the advantage of frequent read- 
ing or hearing what is good. It is a care which your great 
Master expects from you. 

OF VISITING THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. 

AMONG the most effectual means of nourishing in our 
heart the love of God, and of strengthening ourselves 
against the occasions of sin, is to visit Jesus Christ in the 
sacrament of the altar. If the duties of your state of life 
permit, fail not to spend a few moments "daily in presence 
of your Saviour, to invoke upon yourself and yours his 
blessing, and the graces you have need of. There is no 
one who cannot find time to visit his friends, and to spend 
with them many unprofitable hours ; how strange a dis- 
order would it be that the children of God should allege a 
want of time for visiting him who is their only true and 
constant friend ! 



IF you are at the head of a family, perform this exercise 
in common. Thus will you render it more efficacious 
with God, and you will fulfil the obligation you are under, 
of making your children and servants attend to it. Never 
fail to make a general examination of your conscience, 
and also a particular examen, if you wish to root out ef- 
fectually your evil habits, and place your salvation in a 
state of security. Go to bed with your mind intent upon 
some pious thought. 



T^HOEVER wishes to advance in Christian perfec- 



ever wishes to labor seriously at his salvation, should con- 
fess at least once a month ; and if he would not expose 
himself to be lost, he should approach the tribunal of pen- 
ance as soon as he feels his conscience burdened with a 
mortal sin. Endeavor to acquit yourself well of this duty, 
and to expiate your sins by a salutary penance. Do not 
confine yourself to that which is enjoined by your con- 
fessor, but practise other good works — such as visiting the 



OF EVENING PRAYER. 



OF CONFESSION. 




confession every week. Who- 



RULE OF LIFE. 



601 



sick, or those who are in prison ;- relieving the poor ; pray 
ing before the Blessed Sacrament; co-operating in reli- 
gious and charitable undertakings; abstaining even from 
innocent pleasures ; observing simplicity in your dress and 
furniture ; bearing with patience the defects of your neigh- 
bor; and submitting with resignation to the crosses and 
afflictions of life. 

OF COMMUNION. 

COMMUNICATE often. If you are not in the habit 
of mortal sin, and endeavor to avoid it, you may ap- 
proach the holy communion with profit once a month. If 
you keep yourself tree from mortal sin, and are not in the 
habit of deliberate venial sins, you may receive with benefit 
to yourself once a week. But the frequency of commu- 
nion is a thing which ought to be regulated for each one 
by his spiritual director. 

OF THE SPIRIT OF MORTIFICATION. 

THE life of a Christian should be a continual exercise 
of penance. Mortify yourself in ordinary things, as 
nothing is more necessary in order to establish the empire 
of grace and destroy that of nature in our soul. The fol- 
lowing practices you will find very useful : to renounce the 
desire of doing that which is useless ; to keep a guard over 
your eyss ; to avoid inquiring for news ; to abstain from a 
witticism, or any remark that would be gratifying to self- 
love ; to deny yourself, at times, even the most innocent 
amusements ; to moderate the indulgence you are apt to 
show to yourself; to speak little, and to do it without 
emotion ; to be courteous and obliging to those for whom 
you feel an aversion ; to be patient and silent under the 
trials you may have to suffer. Endeavor to bear your 
crosses, as Jesus Christ bore his, with patience, and in a 
spirit of penance, as they come from God; with love and 
thankfulness, inasmuch as they are dispensed to you for 
your own good, and may become the source of an eternal 
weight of glory. 

OF THE USE OF RICHES. 

IF you are rich, remember what you owe to the poor. 
The threats and promises of Jesus Christ cannot fail, 
if you reflect upon them, to make you attentive to the 

51 



602 



RULE OF LIFE. 



practice of alms-deeds. God required from the Israelites 
the tenth of their goods ; and this may serve as a very- 
good rule for the Christian. In the exercise of charity, 
3'ou should consider the extent of your means and the ex- 
tent of your neighbor's sufferings. You will always have 
enough wherewith to fulfil this obligation, if you moderate 
your attachment to earthly things, regulate your expenses, 
and take that care of your means which is according to 
reason. 

OF THE PREDOMINxYNT PASSION. 

TRY to discover, w T ith the help of grace, the principal 
failing or passion to which you are subject. Examine 
what is the favorite object of your thoughts and desires ; 
what you find it most difficult to resist ; and what is the 
most frequent cause of your offending God. To overcome 
this failing, whatever it may be, you should have recourse 
to prayer, meditation, frequentation of the sacraments, and 
particularly to acts of virtue opposed to it, to great vigi- 
lance in foreseeing the occasions of sin, and to the particu- 
lar examen. 

OF PREPARING FOR DEATH. 

SET apart one day in every month to prepare yourself 
for death ; and strive to perform all your actions as if 
that day would be the last of your life. Approach the 
sacraments of penance and the holy eucharist. Examine 
if there is any thing that could trouble you in your last 
moments ; whether there is any restitution or reconcilia- 
tion to be made, any doubts to be cleared, &c. Perform 
the devotions that are suited to persons on the bed of 
death — making acts of resignation, conformity to the will 
of God, acts of faith, hope, love, contrition, &c. Call 
upon Jesus crucified, upon the Blessed Virgin Mary, your 
guardian Angel, your holy Patrons ; and when you retire 
to your bed, consider it as the grave, which is to separate 
you from all things living. 

OF DEVOTION TO THE MOTHER OF GOD. 

X) EMEMBER what the Saints have said of the im- 
portant part that Mary takes in the salvation of souls ; 
that she is the channel through which the Almighty is 
pleased to communicate his graces ; and that her name is 



RULE OF LIFE. 



603 



a star of hope which is never invoked in vain. Cherish, 
then, a tender devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Pray 
to her frequently ; join the associations established in her 
honor ; and, above all, endeavor to imitate her virtues. 

OF A SPIRITUAL RETREAT. 

OF all the practices of piety, a spiritual retreat is the 
most efficacious for converting souls to God, and in- 
spiring a greater fervor in his service. It is difficult to 
preserve our innocence amidst the many dangers to which 
we are exposed in this world ; and to do so requires a 
strong courage, powerful helps, and continual precautions. 
The firmest resolution will be shaken, the most fervent 
piety will grow cool, and the most solid virtue will be over- 
come, if we do not from time to time fortify ourselves by 
the exercises of a retreat against the evil influences that 
assail us. If religious, who are the most secure against 
these dangers, annually have recourse to a retreat in order 
to revive among them the spirit of their vocation, how can 
they who live in the world lead a truly Christian life with- 
out the use of similar means ? Whatever may be your oc- 
cupations, then, set apart a few days every year for the 
special consideration of your spiritual welfare. You will 
always find this excellent means of salvation practicable, 
if you sincerely desire to make use of it. All persons ad- 
mit the importance or necessity of an occasional retreat ; 
but a supposed want of time prevents many from attending 
to it. This excuse, however, will not justify them in the 
sight of God; because, if there is any affair that calls for 
the serious attention of man, it is the salvation of his soul; 
and no occupations, however numerous or important they 
may be, can ever exempt him from the obligation of de- 
voting to it that portion of time which may be necessary 
to secure it. .When we are sick, we lay aside all busi- 
ness, and think only of the recovery of health. Our tem- 
poral affairs are also frequently suspended even for pur- 
poses of relaxation and amusement. Have we not infi- 
nitely more reason to interrupt them occasionally with a 
view to consult our eternal interests ? Remember those 
words of Jesus Christ : " What will it profit a man, if he 
gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" and you 
will not fail to avail yourself of the blessings which are 
afforded by a spiritual retreat. 



004 



RULE OF LIFE. 



THOUGHTS ON A SPIRITUAL RETREAT. 

I DO not know," says St. Ignatius, "nor can I con- 
ceive, a more effectual means of sanctifying oneself, 
than the exercises of a spiritual retreat." 

A retreat is a grace which the Almighty offers to us, be- 
cause he loves us. 

It will recall to our mind that we have a God to serve, a 
soul to save, a hell to avoid, and a heaven to gain. 

The effect of a retreat, if duly made, will be to restore 
peace to our agitated souls, and to obtain the pardon of 
those sins which are the cause of our interior troubles. Is 
not this peace, this pardon, deserving of our most serious 
efforts? 

It is the will of God that we should perform the exercises 
of a retreat with a sincere and upright heart. He, by his 
grace, will do the rest, and perfect the work he has begun. 

Readings suited to the time of a Spiritual Retreat. 

1st day.- — Acts of the Apostles, ch. ix; 

Following of Christ, b. 1, ch. xxv. 
2d day. — St. Matthew, ch. v; 

Following of Christ, b. 1, ch. xxii. 
3d day. — St, Matthew, ch. xx; 

Following of Christ, b. 1, ch. xxiii. 
4th day. — St. John, ch. xiv, xv ; 

Following of Christ, b. 1, ch. xxiv. 
5th day. — 1 Corinthians, ch. xi; 

Following of Christ, b. 2, ch. x. 
6th day. — St. James, ch. i, hi; 

Following of Christ, b. 3, ch. xxxix. 
7th day. — 2 Corinthians, ch. vj ; 

Following of Christ, b. 2, ch. xii. 

PRACTICES FOR THE TIME OF A RETREAT. 

ASSIST faithfully at all the exercises of the retreat. 
Perform them with attention, and with a sincere de- 
sire to profit by them. 

Observe as strict a silence in going to and returning from 
the church as circumstances will permit, endeavoring to 
keep your thoughts fixed on some pious subject. 
Perform daily some act of charity or mortification. 
Withdraw as much as possible, from secular business. 



RULE OF LIFE. 



605 



Implore frequently the light and grace of the Holy 
Ghost. 

Make a review of your conscience since the last retreat, 
and, if necessary, a general confession. 

Consult your director in regard to all matters that dis- 
turb your mind, or require his advice. 

Often say to yourself: This retreat is a signal favor of 
heaven. How will I wish, at the hour of death, to have 
performed it ! 

RESOLUTIONS AT THE CLOSE OF A RETREAT. 

I WILL always remember that the paramount concern 
which should engross my attention in this world, is to 
serve God, to save my soul, to fear an evil death, to pre- 
pare for the divine judgment, to avoid hell-fire, to secure 
the happiness of heaven. These considerations must al- 
ways predominate in my mind. 

I will often reflect upon the vanity of earthly things, the 
emptiness of worldly pleasures, and the brevity of human 
life. 

I will mingle in social amusements and entertainments 
only so far as utility or the laws of charity may require. 

Remembering that the wisdom of this world is folly be- 
fore God, I will never suffer its distracting cares or occu- 
pations to interfere with my obligations to God. 

I will guard against the influence of human respect, and 
discharge every duty, despite the observations of men. 

In the practice of piety, I will endeavor to prevent it 
from assuming that repulsive character which might result 
from the indulgence of humor or singularity. 

I will be careful not to contract debts beyond my means, 
and will observe the most scrupulous justice in- all deal- 
ings with my neighbor. 

In regard to the poor and suffering members of society, 
I will consider it a duty and a happiness to relieve their 
wants, according to my means. 

I will approach the sacraments frequently, and shun the 
occasions of sin. < 

These resolutions, and others of a more particular na- 
ture, which I have formed during the retreat, I will read 
once a month, and animate myself to a faithful observance 
of them. 

51* 



606 



DEVOTION OF BONA MORS. 



PRAYER. 

/~\ LORD ! finish in me the work thou hast begniv 
\ / Aid me in fulfilling the good resolutions which 
thou hast inspired ; for without thee I can do nothing. 
O holy Virgin! powerful help of Christians! ob- 
t in for me the grace to accomplish what I have re- 
s' !wd, for the honor of thy divine Son. Amen. 

— • 

DEVOTION OF BONA MORS. 

rg^HERE is no grace which a Christian should value 
X more, or which he should more fervently ask of God, 
than that of a happy death. An excellent means of secur- 
ing this happiness is, to honor the agony of Jesus expiring 
on the cross, and the martyrdom of his holy Mother on that 
tragic occasion : and with a view to spread this devotion 
among the faithful, Father Vincent CarafTa, general of the 
Society of Jesus, formed an association at Rome in 1648, 
which derived its name from the agony of our Lord Jesus 
Christ expiring on Calvary, but is commonly called the 
association of Bona Mors. It has been approved by the 
Sovereign PontiiT, and enriched with many spiritual favors. 
See Indulgences, No. XXXVIII. 

Those who* wish to join this association must give in 
their names to the person who keeps the register. 

The rules, which all are to observe, are as follows : 
1. Every one is to say daily, three times, Our Father, and 
Hail Mary, in memory of the three hours our blessed Re- 
deemer hung upon the cross, with the intention of obtain- 
ing tor themselves, and others of the congregation, a happy 
death. Likewise they shall say, every day, not only for 
themselves, but also for those at that time in their agonies, 
or who shall be next under that dreadful trial : Lord ! into 
thy hands I recommend my spirit, and recommend all ago- 
nizing souls. Mary, Mother of Grace, Mother of Mercy, 

defend us from the enemy, and receive us at the hour of death. 
Amen. 

2. The Associates (if they can, without great inconve- 
nience) are to frequent the holy communion once every 
month ; that they may be enriched w r ith a plenary indul- 



* 



BONA MORS. 



607 



gence, which may be applied to the suffering souls in pur- 
gatory, by way of suffrage. In these communions they 
are to petition for themselves, and others of the confrater-, 
nity, a happy death: and before they leave the Church, 
they are to recite, five times, Our Father, and Hail Mary, 
in honor of the five most sacred wounds of our Redeemer, 
for those of the congregation, who are in tribulation, who 
are sick, dying, or have departed. 

Let all endeavor to be present at the monthly assembly, 
"De Bona Morte." Those who are lawfully prevented 
from attending the solemn devotion of that day, are to 
recite at home the prayers appointed for public meetings. 
Such as cannot read, may say their beads, begging that 
they may attain with the rest to eternal glory. If two or 
three are in the same family, one of them may recite the 
aforesaid prayers in an audible voice, the others answering 
in their respective places. Many, by an act of supereroga- 
tion, on all Fridays, offer to Jesus Christ crucified and his 
dolorous Mother the stations of his bitter passion, and the 
addresses to his five sacred wounds : but this is left to 
every one's devotion and circumstances. 

• The rules of the association do not oblige under pain of 
sin; but if they are wilfully transgressed, the persons so 
offending do not partake in the prayers and good works 
which are performed by those devoted to our blessed Sa- 
viour's passion, in satisfaction for past sins, and obtaining a 
happy death ; and he continues under this privation so long 
as the prescribed devotion is intermitted : yet, returning to 
the observance of the rules, he shares proportionably from 
the time he begins again with fervor. Sick persons are 
excepted, who in health d ; d their duty, and are resolved to 
do the same, when restored to their former state. 

PRAYERS FOR PUBLIC MEETINGS AND PRI- 
VATE DEVOTIONS. 
"TN the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of 
X the Holy Ghost. Amen. 

OPEN, Lord ! our mouths, to bless thy holy 
name ; cleanse our hearts from all vain and dis- 
tracting thoughts ; enlighten our understandings ; in- 
flame our will, that we may worthily perform this holy- 
exercise with attention and devotion, and may deserve 



608 



BONA MORS. 



to be heard in the presence of thy divine Majesty, who, 
with the Father and the Holy Ghost, livest and reign- 
est, one God, world without end. Amen, 

]ORD, have mercy on us. , 
_j Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Holy Mary, 

All ye holy angels and archangels, 
St. Abel, 

All ye choirs of just souls, 
St. Abraham, 
St. John the Baptist, 
All ye holy patriarchs and prophets, 
St. Peter, 
St. Paul, 
St. Andrew, 
St. John, 

All ye holy apostles and evangelists, 
All ye holy disciples of our Lord, 
All ye holy innocents, 
St. Stephen, 
St. Laurence, 
All ye holy martyrs, 
St. Sylvester, 
St. Gregory, 
St. Augustin, 

All ye holy bishops and confessors, 
St. Benedict, 
St. Francis, 

All ye holy monks and hermits, 

t. Mary Magdalen, 
St. Lucy, 

All ye holy virgins and widows, 
All ye saints of God, make intercession for us. 
Be merciful unto us, spare us, O Lord. 
Be merciful unto us. hear us, Lord. 
From thy anger, O Lord, deliver us. 
From the danger of death, O Lord, deliver us. 



BONA MORS. 



From an unfortunate death, 
From the pains of hell, 

From all evil, O 
From the power of the devil, F 4 
Through thy nativity, J[ 
Through thy cross and passion, I ^ 

Through thy death and burial, ] 2_ 

Through thy glorious resurrection, <' 
Through thy admirable ascension, ^ 
Through the grace of the Holy Ghost the com- «> 
forter, 

In the day of judgment, 

We sinners, do beseech thee to hear us. 

That thou spare us, we beseech thee to hear us. 

Lord, have mercy on us. 

Christ, have mercy on us. 

Lord, have mercy on us. 

LET US PRAY. 

T\flT AY thy clemency vouchsafe, God ! so to con- 
,1 f J firm thy servants in thy holy grace, that at the 
hour of their death, the enemy may not prevail against 
them, but that with thy angels they may deserve to 
pass into life everlasting; through our Lord Jesus 
Christ. Amen, 

OMNIPOTENT, and most merciful Creator ! who, 
to refresh thy thirsty people in the desert, didst 
command streams of water to flow from the hardest 
rocks, draw, we beseech thee, from our dry eyes, and 
stony hearts, desired tears of perfect compunction, that 
we may fully detest all sin, and only thirst after the 
happy and glorious vision of thee, our God, the Father, 
the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen. 

AN ACT OF CONTRITION. 

MY dear Lord Jesus Christ, redeemer of the 
world ! Behold prostrate at thy feet, the most 
unhappy, and the most ungrateful creature on the face 



610 



BONA MORS. 



of the earth. My God ! I have offended thee most 
grievously, in thoughts, words, and deeds. My 
heinous crimes fixed thee on the bloody cross. To 
rescue me from eternal damnation, thou didst agonize 
three hours on Mount Calvary. But oh ! How much 
am I displeased with myself! How I grieve for 
having offended thee, a God of infinite goodness, and 
of infinite charity ! I am astonished, and confounded 
at thy incomprehensible patience, in supporting the 
most provoking wretch that breathes. From the very 
bottom of my heart, I detest all my sins ; and because 
I love thee, and will love thee above all things created, 
I steadfastly purpose, by thy holy grace, never to 
offend thee more, and to die a thousand deaths, rather 
than commit one mortal sin. Amen. 

THE STATIONS OF THE SACRED PASSION. 

OMOST sweet Jesus! praying to the Father in 
the garden, sorrowful even unto death, and sweat- 
ing in an agony of grief, have mercy on us. 

Besp. Have mercy on us, Lord ! have mercy onus. 
O most sweet Jesus ! delivered by the traitor's kiss 
into the hands of thy enemies, seized and bound like 
a thief, and abandoned by thy disciples, have mercy 
on us. 

Besp. Have mercy on us, O Lord ! have mercy on us. 

O most sweet Jesus ! by the unjust verdict of the 
Jews found guilty of death, brought like a malefactor 
before the tribunal of Pilate, scorned and derided by 
impious Herod, have mercy on us. 

Besp. Have mercy on us, Lord ! have mercy on us. 

O most sweet Jesus ! stripped of thy garments, and 
most inhumanely scourged at the pillar, have mercy 
on us. 

Besp. Have mercy on us, Lord ! have mercy on us. 
O most sweet Jesus ! crowned with thorns, blind- 
folded, buffeted, struck with a reed, clothed in deri- 



BONA MORS. 



611 



sion with a purple garment, and many other ways 
scorned and reviled, have mercy on us. 

Besp. Have mercy on us, O Lord ! have mercy on us. 

most sweet Jesus ! reputed more criminal than 
Barabbas, the murderer, rejected by the Jews, and 
condemned to the ignominious death of the cross, 
have mercy on us. 

Besp. Have mercy on us, Lord ! have mercy on us. 

most sweet Jesus ! loaded with a heavy cross, and 
led like an innocent lamb to the place of execution, 
have mercy on us. 

Besp. Have mercy on us, Lord ! have mercy on us. 

O most sweet Jesus ! hanging between two thieves, 
derided, blasphemed, made to taste vinegar and gall, 
and enduring- most horrible torments from the sixth 
to the ninth hour, have mercy on us. 

Besp. Have mercy on us, Lord ! have mercy on us. 

O most sweet Jesus ! dead upon the cross, in the 
presence of thy holy Mother, and wounded in thy side 
with a spear, whence issued forth water and blood, 
have mercy on us. 

Besp. Have mercy on us, Lord ! have mercy on us. 

most sweet Jesus ! taken down from the cross, 
and bathed with the tears of thy most sorrowful Mo- 
ther, have mercy on us. 

Besp. Have mercy on us, Lord ! have mercy on us. 

most sweet Jesus ! torn and bruised all over, thy 
body bearing the sacred marks of thy five most pre- 
cious wounds, embalmed with spices, and laid in the 
epulchre, have mercy on us. 

Besp. Have mercy on us, O Lord ! have mercy on us. 
Vers. He truly bore our sorrows. 

Besp. And he carried our grief. 



didst vouchsafe to be born, circumcised, rejected 
by the Jews, betrayed with a kiss, bound like a male- ( 



LET US PRAY. 




redemption of the world, 



612 



BONA MORS. 



factor, like an innocent lamb, led to slaughter, igno- 
miniously brought before Annas, Caiphas, Pilate and 
Herod, accused by false witnesses, scourged with 
whips, buffetted, defiled with spittle, crowned with 
thorns, stripped of thy clothes, fastened to the cross, 
placed between two thieves ; to have vinegar and gall 
given thee to drink, and thy side pierced through with 
a spear : mayest thou, Lord ! by these most grievous 
pains, which I, though unworthy, do commemorate, 
and b)' thy most sacred death, and passion, free me 
from the pains of hell, and conduct me, whither thy 
mercy conducted the good thief, crucified with thee, 
who, together with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, 
livest and reignest for ever, dmeru 

DEVOUT ADDRESSES TO THE FIVE WOUNDS 
OF OUR SAVIOUR. 

Let us adore the five most sacred wounds of Christ, 
our Lord, and each one in particular, with an assured con- 
fidence of obtaining all blessings through his passion and 
death, olfered for us to his eternal Fatner. VVe will also 
condole with the most holy Mother of Christ, whose soul 
was pierced with the sword of grief, standing under the 
cross of her beloved Son. We will likewise praise and 
magnify the most blessed Trinity, for so great and incom- 
prenensible a benefit. 

TO THE WOUND OF THE LEFT FOOT. 

~\ T Y Lord, Jesus Christ ! I humbly adore the most 
J3JL sacred wound of thy left foot. I render thee 
thanks for that cruel pain, suffered with so great love 
and charity. I feelingly compassionate thy torments, 
and the excessive grief of thy most afflicted Mother. 
I humbly beg pardon for all my sins, which I lament 
more than ail imaginable evils, because they offend 
thee, infinite goodness ! And I resolve never more 
to sin. ! bring all sinners with me, to a true con- 
version, and givt them light to discover the heinous- 
ness, the enormity, and brutality of a mortal crime. 



BONA MORS. 



613 



Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the 
Father, &c. 

TO THE WOUND OF THE RIGHT FOOT. 

MY Lord, Jesus Christ ! I humbly adore the most 
sacred wound of thy right foot. I render thee 
thanks for that cruel pain, suffered with so great loye 
and charity. I feelingly compassionate thy torments, 
and the excessive grief of thy most afflicted Mother. 
I supplicate thee to grant me strength against all temp- 
tations, and a prompt obedience in the execution of 
thy divine will. Comfort, Jesus ! all poor, mise- 
rable, afflicted, tempted and persecuted persons. Most 
just Judge ! govern those who administer justice, and 
assist all laborers in the cure of souls, whether amongst 
Christians or Infidels. 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the 
Father, &c. 

TO THE WOUND OF THE LEFT HAND. 

MY Lord, Jesus Christ ! I humbly adore the most 
sacred wound of thy left hand. I render thee 
thanks for that cruel pain, suffered with so great love 
and charity. I feelingly compassionate thy torments, 
and the excessive grief of thy most afflicted Mother. 
By them I petition thee, to deliver me from the pains 
of hell, and grant me patience and conformity to thy 
blessed pleasure in all the contradictions of this pre- 
sent life. I offer unto thee all my exterior and inte- 
rior sufferings, in satisfaction for my sins, which have 
sc often deserved eternal torments. I beg thee to par- 
don all my enemies, and others ill-affected towards 
me. Bless, O Lord ! the sick with patience and health, 
support, with thy assisting grace, all those who are in 
agonies, that they may not perish. 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the 
Father, &c. 

52 



614 



BONA MORS. 



TO THE WOUND OF THE RIGHT HAND. 

MY Lord, Jesus Christ ! I humbly adore the most 
sacred wound of thy right hand. I render thee 
thanks for that cruel pain, suffered with so great love 
and chanty. I feelingly compassionate thy torments, 
and the excessive grief of thy most afflicted Mother. 
I supplicate thee to grant me a firm and resolute will, 
in all things relating to my salvation. Bless me with 
final perseverance in grace, to secure the enjoyment 
of that glory, which was purchased at the price of thy 
most sacred blood. Grant also, my Jesus ! speedy 
peace and repose to the souls in purgatory. Cause 
thy holy servants in this world to make dailyprogress 
in perfection, especially those who are of this confra- 
ternity. 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Clory be to the 
Father, &c. 

TO THE WOUND IN THE SACRED SIDE. 

~i 1TY Lord, Jesus Christ! I humbly adore the most 
If J sacred wound in thy blessed side, rendering 
thanks for the immense love, manifested towards us, 
at the opening of thy inflamed heart. I feelingly con- 
dole the affronts, and the excessive grief of thy most 
afflicted Mother. Grant me pure love, and perfect 
charity, that loving thee above all things, and all things 
in thee, my miserable soul, by the assistance of thy 
holy grace, may be worthy to be breathed out in the 
sacred wound of thy blessed side. I humbly beg thee, 
dear Jesus ! to protect thy holy Catholic Church, di- 
rect thy governing Vicar upon earth, all ecclesiastical 
orders, and secular persons, who are instrumental in 
bringing souls to do their duty. Preserve in thy happy 
service all Christian kings and princes. Reduce into 
the way of salvation all those that are gone astray, 
whether through malice or ignorance. Bring und 



BONA MORS. 



615 



thy sweet yoke all infidels, heretics, and other enemies 
of thy holy name. 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. Glory be to the 
Father, &c. 

LET US PRAY. 

OLORD, Jesus Christ! God of my heart! by 
those five wounds, which the love of us inflicted 
on thee, succor thy servants whom thou hast redeemed 
with thy precious blood. Amen* 

MOST merciful Redeemer, I humbly beseech thee f 
by the unspeakable torments, and the immense 
grief, which thou wast pleased to suffer forme, a con- 
temptible creature, especially when thy divine soul 
was bitterly separated from thy blessed body, that thou 
wilt secure my poor soul at the final separation, and 
comfort me then, as thou didst the good thief, saying 
to me : this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise. 
Amen* 

Let us have recourse to the ever immaculate Virgin, 
Mother of God, beseeching her to protect us under the 
shadow of her wings, until the wrath of God be appeased ; 
and to obtain for us true contrition, and perseverance in the 
holy grace of her blessed Son. We will also petition for 
what each one, here present, stands in need of, according 
to his spiritual or temporal necessities, to the greater glory 
of God. To merit these favors, we will pray in union 
with that more than seraphic love, wherewith the dolorous 
Mother stood under the cross of the bleeding Jesus. 

STABAT MATER DOLOROSA. 

BENEATH the world's redeeming wood 
The most afflicted Mother stood, 
Mingling her tears with her Son's blood. 

As that flowed down from ev'ry part, 
Of all his wounds she felt the smart, 
What pierced his body pierced her heart. 



616 



BONA MORS. 



Who can with tearless eyes look on 
When such a Mother, such a Son, 
Wounded and gasping does bemoan. 

O worse than Jewish heart, that could, 
Unmoved, behold the double flood, 
Of Maryh tears, and Jesu's blood. 

Alas ! our sins, they were not his, 

In this atoning sacrifice, 

For which he bleeds, for which he dies. 

When graves were open'd, rocks were rent, 
W^hen nature and each element 
His torments and her grief resent : 

Shall man, the cause of all his pain, 
And all his grief, shall sinful man 
Alone insensible remain ] 

Ah, pious mother, teach my heart, 
Of sighs and tears the holy art, 
And in thy grief to bear a part. 

The sword of grief, which did pass through 
Thy very soul, O may it now 
Upon my heart a wound bestow. 

Great Queen of Sorrows, in thy train, 
Let me a mourner's place obtain, 
W T ith tears to cleanse all sinful stain. 

To heal the leprosy of sin, 

We must the cure with tears begin, 

All flesh's corrupt without their brine. 

Refuge of sinners, grant that we 
May tread thy steps, and let it be 
Our sorrow not to grieve like thee. 



BONA MORS. 



617 



O may the wounds of thy dear Son 
Our contrite hearts possess alone, 
And all terrene affections drown. 

Those wounds, which now the stars outshine, 
Those furnaces of love divine, 
May they our drossy souls refine ; 

And on us such impressions make, 
That we of suff'ring for his sake, 
May joyfully our portion take. 

Let us his proper oadge put on, 

Let's glory in the cross alone, 

By which he marks us for his own. 

That when the dreadful trial's come, 

For every man to hear his doom, 

On his right hand we may find room. • 

O hear us, Mary, Jesus hear ! 

Our humble pray'rs secure our fear, 

When thou in judgment shalt appear. 

Now give us sorrow, give us love, 
That so prepared, we may remove, 
When call'd to seats of bliss above. Amen. 

If. The sword of sorrow has pierced thy soul. 
R. That out of many hearts cogitations may be re- 
vealed. 

LET US PRAY. 

E beseech thee, O Lord, Jesus Christ! that the 
blessed Virgin Mary may effectually intercede 
for us with thy clemency, both now, and at the hour 
of our death, she, who at the hour of thy passion, had 
her most holy soul run through with the sword of sor- 
row; who livestand reignest with the Father, and the 
Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen. 

52* 




BONA MORS. 



Let us say Our Father, and Hail Mary, three times, in 
memory of the three hours our dear Redeemer hung upon 
the cross, and apply them to the souls of the departed of 
this confraternity. 

Otir Father, &c. 

Let us also say an Our Father, and a Hail Mary, for 
such as are in the lamentable state of mortal sin. 

Our Father, &c. 

Let us again say an Our Father, and a Hail Mary, for 
him or her of this confraternity, that is to die next, that he 
or she may be prepared, and depart heartily fortified with 
the holy sacraments of the Church. 

Our Father, &c. 

Let us dispose ourselves by acts of perfect contrition and 
pure love of God, to receive worthily the benediction of 
our Lord and Saviour in the adorable sacrament of the 
altar. 

MERCIFUL Redeemer, and holy God of infinite 
patience ! great is my confusion to appear in 
thy divine presence, having so frequently postponed 
thee, the omnipotent Creator of the universe, to vile 
and contemptible creatures. I am a miserable worm 
of the earth, who utterly detest my horrid confidence 
of sinning in thy most pure sight; I own myself a no- 
torious criminal, and I plead guilty at the bar of thy 
dread tribunal. Thou mightest have been glorified in 
thy justice, by suddenly striking me dead, and by 
condemning me to eternal flames, for base indignities 
committed againet thee. But thou wert pleased to be 
glorified in the high prerogative of thy mercy, by 
calling me back to repentance. I abhor all my crimes 
of thought, word, and deed, not for the hope of re- 
ward, or fear of punishment, but for thy own sake, 
and because thou dost infinitely abominate them. Oh I 
my God of majesty and mercy ! look upon those sacred 
marks in thy hands, feet and side, which thou retain- 
est in thy glorified body, to plead my pardon. By 
that tender love, which induced thee to create, re- 



BONA MORS. 



619 



deem and sanctify me, unite the abyss of thy merits 
to the abyss of my misery. I declare before thy 
throne, and before the whole court of heaven, that I 
freely choose to die here upon my knees, rather than 
to live any longer, to rob thee of due honor, by one 
mortal sin. My heart was created for thee, and I love 
thee more than myself. Every respiration coming 
from me, especially the last, when I breathe out my 
soul, shall be an irrevocable protestation of my pure 
and sincere love of thy divine Majesty. Sweet Sa- 
viour of perishing mankind ! who openest thy hand, 
and fillest every creature with benediction, give me 
now, such a blessing as thou didst bestow on thy be- 
loved disciples, when ascending in triumph from 
Mount Olivet, that I may live and die in this happy 
disposition. Amen. 

When this exercise is performed in public, it is termi- 
nated by the benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, and 
after the prayer, Deus qui nobis sah sacrament o, the follow- 
ing is added. 



LORD Jesus Christ, who at the sixth hour, to 



redeem the world, wert nailed to the cross, and 
didst pour forth thy precious blood for the remission 
of our sins ; we humbly pray, that after our death we 
may joyfully enter the gates of Paradise. Amen, 

THE ADMISSION PRAYER. 

JESUS, my God and my Saviour, sacrificed on the 
altar of the cross for the redemption of mankind, 
I, N. iV., though most unworthy, yet confiding in thy 
infinite mercy, and moved by an earnest desire and 
tender devotion towards thy adorable sufferings and 
life-giving death, do dedicate myself as a perpetual 
offering to thy divine Majesty, in the pious associa- 
tions of thy painful agony, and of thy blessed Mother 
grieving under the cross. I most humbly beseech 
thee, by thy bitter passion, and the dolorous separa- 
tion of thy divine soul from thy sacred body, that X 




620 



CONSIDERATIONS ON DEATH. 



may never depart from thee by deadly sin. Be pleased 
likewise to grant me the favor, that I, and all the as- 
sociates, both now and at the hour of our death, may 
obtain full remission of our sins, and, being fortified 
with the Sacraments of thy Holy Church, may, with 
thee, and by thee, triumph over the devil and death. 
Amen. 

TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 

"A /J OTHER of God, Mother of mercy! I beseech 
,!.¥■ thee, by that cruel sorrow which pierced thy 
afflicted soul, when, standing under the cross of thy 
beloved Son, thou didst see him die for our salvation, 
that thou wilt please to be favorable to me both now 
and at the last period of my mortal life. Permit not, 
oh ! great Comforter of sinners ! that it be ever said, 
that thou didst leave a soul in extreme necessity which 
had recourse to thee : but vouchsafe to look on me, 
and all associates, with those eyes of tender passion, 
as then thou didst behold bleeding Jesus, when ex- 
piring on Mount Calvary ; that with thee we may 
praise him, the Father, and the Holy Ghost, for all 
eternity. Amen, 



CONSIDERATIONS ON DEATH. 

MEDITATION ON THE DESIRE OF DEATH. 

FIRST POINT. 

IT is a great grace not to be afraid of death ; and it is a 
great perfection to desire it, with a well regulated de- 
sire ; for what virtue can we possess, which is not included 
in the desire of death ? We may go over every virtue 
separately, and we will find, that in a well ordered desire 
of death, all are comprised. The stronger then our desire 
of death is, the more we shall advance in virtue, and the 
nearer we shall approach to what God desires us to be. 



CONSIDERATIONS ON DEATH. 621 



SECOND POINT. 

THIS desire of death, to be really good, must be divested 
of self-love. We sometimes wish for death, that we 
may be delivered from an unhappy life ; now, this desire 
is not entirely pure. A fervent soul never desires to be 
freed from this life merely because it is an unhappy one, — 
full of pains and trials : on the contrary, if there were no 
other evil in it, she would do all in her power to preserve 
it ; since the more pains and trials we have, the greater 
sacrifices we may make to God, and the more we may 
prove our love to him. We may wish for death, because 
it will bring us to the possession of the object of our crea- 
tion — the enjoyment of God ; we may wish for it, because 
after death we shall be no longer exposed to the danger of 
offending God. The Saints desired death for these rea- 
sons, and so also may we. 

THIRD POINT. 

THE purest and best motive for desiring death is, be- 
cause we cannot live without sinning, and instead of 
becoming more and more pleasing in the eyes of God, we 
disobey him daily — adding sin to sin. Who, that loves 
God, can help wishing for death from this motive ? What 
pain can be so insupportable as to love God ardently, and 
ye' see ourselves in a sort of impossibility to avoid offend- 
ing him, either through the evil inclinations of our corrupt 
nature, or the habits we have contracted by the sins of our 
past iiie? 

my God! when I reflect that not a day passes in 
which I do not offend thee, and commit even the sins I 
would wish most to avoid, that I do so little good, not 
even the good I desire to do; how can I help wishing to 
be delivered from the body of this death? What are all 
the sufferings of this world, compared with the misfortune 
of offending my God ! It is not the happiness of the blessed 
I sigh for, so much as the joy and happiness of no more 
offending thee, my God; of being no more unfaithful to 
thy grace. 

Come then, O Death ! that I may no more offend my 
God, no more oppose his will. 



622 



CONSIDERATIONS ON DEATH. 



VARIOUS REASONS FOR DESIRING DEATH. 

DEATH may be lawfully desired for several reasons : 
1st. God is our last end ; and since death is the door 
through which we go to him, we may desire it. The more 
we desire it, the more we shall love God, and the less un- 
worthy we shall be of his love. 

2d. Let us consider that death liberates us from a gloomy 
prison. Draw me out of this prison, says the Psalmist, that 
I may bless thp name. 

3d. Let us consider death as the end of that day, men- 
tioned in the gospel, on which the master of the vineyard 
called the laborers to receive their hire. Job called the 
day of death, the day of recompense, after the toils of life. 

4th. Let us consider death as the time of harvest. They 
that sow in tears shall reap in joy. Going, they went and 
wept, casting their seeds; but coming, they shall come with 
joy, bearing their sheaves: — as the just carrying their good 
works up to heaven, after the toils, trials, and sorrows of 
their exile upon earth. 

5th. Let us consider death as the end of a tedious and 
painful war. Job says : I will wait through the days of this 
sorrowful combat, till my happy change shall take place. . . . 
The life of man upon earth is a warfare. Life is indeed a 
continual war, with the world, Satan and ourselves. O 
day of everlasting peace and rest ! when will you dawn on 
my soul ? 

6th. St. Thomas says we put off our body as a heavy 
load — heavy indeed to those who wish to run in the way 
of holiness. Let us consider death as laying down our 
tabernacle of clay. What, indeed, is our body, but a tent, 
not given us for a dwelling, but a covering for the mo- 
ment — a shelter during our journey to eternity? 

7th. Let us consider death as the harbor in which the 
just are received, with the riches they have gained, after 
they quit the deep and perilous ocean of this life. Blessed 
are they who enter this harbor in safety ! There storms 
and shipwreck are feared no more. 

8th. Let us consider death as the end of a long exile 
from our true home and country. How indescribable is the 
happiness of a poor exile returning to his home, the dwell- 
ing of his family 1 Ah, how affectionate is the embrace of 
his father, and the welcome of his friends ! 

9th. Let us consider death as the passage from death to 



COMMUNION OF THE CROSS. 



623 



life. Our life in this world is truly a death. By dying, we 
find life and lose death. How immense is the gain pro- 
cured by this loss ! 

10th. Let us consider death as the dawn of the bright 
day of eternity. The night past — the day dawning. Oh ! 
the glorious day that knows no night ! 

11th. Let us consider death as the coming of the hea- 
venly Spouse. How blessed his coming for those happy 
ones who are waiting for him with a holy impatience ! 



OF THE COMMUNION OF THE CROSS. 

ALTHOUGH there is no possible advantage to be 
compared with that of receiving our Lord and Sa- 
viour in the holy eucharist, yet we also receive him by 
the Communion of the Cross : that is to say, we unite 
with him, and imbibe his spirit. We can know the value 
of neither, it is true, without faith. Now, when we are 
called to participate at our Lord's table, we go joyfully, 
not considering what we see, but what we believe ; thus 
also, when he invites us to come and receive him, in afflic- 
tions and sufferings, we should receive this chalice with 
the same ardor, without looking at the veils under which 
it is concealed. 

The great advantage of the Communion of the Cross is, 
that we receive it when our Lord himself pleases — at the 
very time he sees best. The ministers of his altar may be 
mistaken in sending us to communion ; they may easily be 
deceived by us, since we deceive ourselves so easily through 
self-love. We may go to the table of our Lord when he 
does not call us to it ; but we never can receive him in the 
Communion of the Cross without being called by himself: 
it is a mandate from heaven itself we obey. 

Our Saviour, in the holy communion, permits his great- 
est enemies to do what they will with his sacred body ; 
but in the Communion of the Cross he comes as a judge 
and saviour. He punishes his enemies, by leaving them 
to themselves: he punishes his children, but it is to 
strengthen and cure them. He makes use of this commu- 
nion to purify and nourish them — to chastise and to reward 



I 



624 COMMUNION OF THE CROSS. 

them. We need not go to church to make this commu- 
nion of suffering : our Saviour comes to us, wherever we 
may be. 

There are some maladies that are of such a nature as to 
deprive us of the happiness of receiving the holy eucharist ; 
while it is this very malady itself that gives us the Com- 
munion of the Cross. Angels can praise and love our 
God ; but angels cannot suffer for him. This glory of suf- 
fering with our Head, and for him, is reserved tor us alone, 
as his happy members. 

But how unhappy v/e are to be continually misled by 
appearances! We resemble, in this respect, a little child 
that refuses a rich diamond because it has the figure of a 
serpent, or that turns away from its father because he i3 
dressed in a coat of mail. It is thus we suffer ourselves 
to be deceived by appearances : we do not welcome our 
beloved Lord, because he is covered with dust and blood, 
although he approaches us only that he may share with us 
the crown he gained in the combat. 

In the mystery of the holy eucharist, we see him, with- 
out considering the color or taste of the bread, which is 
there only in appearance: so, in receiving his cross, we 
are not to look at what it is made of — that is, at the nature 
of our sufferings — but only at the interior virtue. 

When the cross presented is in the form of poverty, it 
conceals eternal treasures; when in the form of shame, 
reproach or ignominy, the glory of God ; when in that of 
afflictions, eternal consolations: in fine, in what shape 
soever our Saviour offers us his cross, it is his own blood 
he offers. Let us approach, when called to partake of it, 
and let us not overturn the chalice on its altar, nor lose one 
drop of the precious blood it contains, in order to spare our 
own. Let us say sincerely : I am unworthy to take that 
precious chalice ; yet I receive it with lively gratitude. 
Although our Lord is content with our patience and resig- 
nation, we should strive to bring to this high mystery of 
our union with him the most ardent sentiments of grati- 
tude and love. 

Let us not be unmindful of the quiet and peace we 
should bring with us. The most restless persons are quiet 
when at communion: no voice is heard but in the heart. 
As it would be highly improper to stir a great deal, or to 
make much noise, during this time of love and adoration, 
so, when we participate in the Communion of the Cross, 



COMMUNION OF THE CROSS. 



625 



we should honor his love and justice by that silence which 
is so agreeable to him. 

We are apt to think the very least suffering too much, 
because we are lovers with our lips rather than with our 
hearts. True lovers of our crucified Saviour never think 
their share of sufferings great enough. W e say we are 
weak ; but who can proportion our cross to our weakness 
so well as our blessed Lord? 

We open the door when he comes to us crowned with 
lilies, as to the Spouse in the Canticles; but when he 
wears his garment of ignominy, or his blood-stained robe, 
of which the prophet speaks, we are struck with dread, 
and would be tempted to shut out our bleeding Spouse, 
although he is covered with this painful and ignominious 
garment only to save us. We are disposed to act in this 
manner because we love ourselves much more than we 
love him. Let us take courage : all that is required from us 
is good- will. We are never strong enough to bear our 
cross; it is the cross which supports us: nor are we so 
weak as to be unable to bear it, since the weakest become 
strong by its virtue. 

God is so good that he gives a great recompense for the 
Bmaliest sufferings, although we owe these very sufferings 
to his justice; and, besides, we could never bear them, if 
he had not merited for us the grace to do so. He gave the 
last drop of his blood to give a value to one drop of ours. 
It is by suffering we atone for our sins, and procure eternal 
happiness. 

It is to God alone we are to look, in all our trials ; and 
we must be persuaded that men and devils combined can 
do nothing but what he permits, and that all the pains and 
trials which he suffers to befall us are sent for our own 
advantage, since they afford us the means of expiating our 
sins, of perfecting our virtue, and of glorifying hirn. Let 
us endeavor never to frustrate the designs of his love and 
mercy. 



53 



REMOTE PREPARATION FOR DEATH. 



DEATH in anticipation has many advantages. 
1st. It is very agreeable to God, because by it we 
submit ourselves to him, as his creatures, and offer our- 
selves, voluntary victims to his power and majesty. 

2d. It is very useful to ourselves, because it teaches us 
to die by degrees, and habituates us to the acts of virtue 
which we would wish to make at death, by doing before- 
hand what we would desire to do then. Those who do 
not pursue this practice, are in danger of dying without 
proper sentiments of piety ; because the pain of the body 
frequently so disturbs the mind, that it can scarcely think 
of any thing else. But, when we are well versed in the 
art of dying, how great soever the pains of the body may 
be, the soul will generally be able to produce those acts, 
which it had long been accustomed to make : and if it 
should be utterly incapable of any exertion, what comfort 
will then result from having done repeatedly, and in full 
consciousness, that which is, in its present condition, im- 
possible ! 

They, who wish to enter sincerely, and in earnest, on 
these preparations for death, will do well to begin by going 
to confession. To aid them in doing this well, they may 
use the following considerations : 

1st. Consider what preparation you would make, and 
what dispositions you would try to bring to the confession, 
which you believed would be your last. You would cer- 
tainly, if you believed you had but one more confession to 
make, examine very carefully if in your former confessions, 
nothing considerable had been passed over, of which you 
should now accuse yourself. You would surely try also 
to have a true regret and horror for your sins. In order 
to excite these sentiments in your heart, reflect on the 
Majesty of the God you have offended, and on his good- 
ness lavished upon you, in every circumstance of your 
life. 

If your Confessor permits, accuse yourself of some of 
the principal sins, of which you have been guilty during 
your life. 

2d. Consider that a last confession, in which you might 
purpose to do all this, may never be in your power : you 
may be either carried off by a sudden death, or a violent 
626 



REMOTE PREPARATION FOR DEATH. 627 



sickness may deprive you of reason, or leave you absolutely 
unfit for so serious a business. 

How then can you omit doing now, what then it may be 
impossible to accomplish ? 

3d. Consider that even should it be in your power to 
make a good preparation for death in your last sickness, 
".which you can never be sure of,) still you ought not to 
neglect making it at present; because, by putting your 
soul into the hands of God, by an anticipated death, you 
do what you can to purify it, and secure its better recep- 
tion, when you commit it to them, in actual death. 

Make now the best preparation for the holy Viaticum. 
Represent to yourself the prophet Elias, travelling to the 
mountain of God. Make his case your own. In his 
weariness of life you may, no doubt, imitate him, if you 
consider the sins and sorrows yours is fraught with, and 
the tyranny of your passions, which allows you so little 
rest. 

The priest, who represents to you the Angel sent to the 
prophet, will bring you the Bread of strength, the Bread 
of life, your Lord and Saviour himself, who will guide and 
support you in your way. Say then, when the priest ap- 
proaches with the sacred host : Receive, O my soul, the 
Viaticum of the body of thy Lord Jesus Christ, to defend 
thee from the malice of thy enemy, and to conduct thee to 
eternal life. After holy Communion, read the prayers 
after receiving the holy Viaticum. Make your acts of 
resignation and confidence, as you would desire to make 
them at the hour of death. 

It is an excellent practice to prepare yourself every month 
to die ; doing, on the day appointed, what you would wish 
to do on the day of your death. Receive holy Communion, 
saying, before and after it, the prayers for the holy Viati- 
cum — then make a spiritual reception of the sacramem of 
Extreme Unction, and say the prayers for agonizing and 
departing souls ; — after this, remain as if at the tribunal of 
judgment, and listen to the reproaches you may there ex- 
pec: — imagine even you hear your last sentence. You 
should then return to your daily duties, as if sent back by 
divine mercy from the very gates of hell to do penance. 

We do not know what we shail be able to do in our last 
moments ; but if we make use of these preparations, and 
we should be suddenly called, we may say to God : What 
I have so often said to thee, my God, I wish now to repeat 



628 REMOTE PREPARATION FOR DEATH. 



but I am not able — hear my sighs, and the prayers of my 
whole life. 

The sacrifice we make of ourselves at the hour of death, 
is the greatest and most meritorious of all, if it be well 
made. Now, the frequent thought of death, and frequent 
preparations for it, are sure means to enable us to make 
this sacrifice as we ought. This was verified in the case 
of the good old Solitary, who being perfectly calm and 
tranquil at the moment of death, said : " This is a road I 
have often travelled — it is nothing new for me to die." 

SPIRITUAL RECEPTION OF THE SACRAMENT 
OF EXTREME UNCTION. 

IT would be well to fix upon one Sunday of the month 
for the performance of this salutary exercise. On the 
same day, you should receive holy Communion as an anti- 
cipated Viaticum, &c. 

Go either to the Church or oratory, adore your divine 
Saviour, Jesus Christ, hanging on the cross. At his ado- 
rable feet, renew your acts of sorrow for all your sins, with 
an unbounded confidence in his infinite merits, and say: 
In the name of the Father, <§-c. During my last illness, 
may my soul be victorious over all the attacks of the 
enemy, by the reception of this holy Sacrament, and by 
the invocation of all the holy Angels, Archangels, Patri- 
archs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, holy Vir- 
gins, and of all the Saints. 

Then reflect most seriously on the sins committed by 
each sense, and endeavor to excite yourself to a sincere 
contrition for all : in sickness there is, ordinarily, but little 
time to do this. 

FOR THE UNCTION OF THE EYES. 

INTAKE the sign of the cross on them, apply the crucifix 
JJA. and say : By the holy unction which I hope to receive 
in my last illness, and through thy most clement mercy, 
O my God ! I supplicate thee to pardon all the sins I have 
committed by my eyes. Amen. 

Thou gavest me my eyes, O *=ource of my life ! that I 
might, by the view of thy works, be excited to bless, 
praise and render thee a thousand thanks. But. by an 
abuse of thy gifts, and a perversion of thy designs, I have 
used them to offend thee by an infinity of looks of 



REMOTE PREPARATION FOR DEATH. 629 



curiosity, pride, anger, &c. — by tears of pride, human 
feelings, &c. 

Pardon, O my God ! the abuse I have made of thy gifts ; 
pardon all the sins I have committed by my eyes. I ask 
it. through the infinite merits of Jesus Christ, thy well 
beloved Son, my Saviour, and in virtue of his most pre- 
cious blood, in which I hope to be washed, by the sacra- 
ment which he instituted for the sanctification of my whole 
being. Amen. 

I offer thee, in satisfaction for the sinS committed by 
my eyes, the infinite merits of his divine looks and sacred 
tears. 

FOR THE UNCTION OF THE EARS. 

MAKE the sign of the cross on them, apply the crucifix 
and say : By the holy unction which I hope to receive 
in my last illness, and through thy most clement mercy, O 
my God ! 1 supplicate thee to pardon all the sins I have 
committed by my hearing. 

Thou gavest me my ears, O Being of my being ! that I 
might hear the voice of thy praise. Bat, alas ! I have abused 
this gift by listening to murmurs, detractions, calumnies, 
irreligious discourses, &c. Pardon me, O God of mercy ! 
through the infinite merits of Jesus Christ, thy well beloved 
Son, my Saviour, and in virtue of his most precious blood, 
in which I hope to be washed by the sacrament which he 
instituted for the sanctification of my whole being. Amen. 

I offer thee, in satisfaction for the sins I have committed 
by my hearing, the holy use my divine Saviour made of 
this sense during his mortal life. 

FOR THE UNCTION OF THE NOSTRILS. 

MAKE the sign of the cross, &c, and say : By the 
holy unction which I hope to receive in my last ill- 
ness, and through thy most clement mercy, O my God! 
I supplicate thee to pardon all the sins I have committed 
by my smelling. 

My God and Creator! how admirably hast thou formed, 
and how wisely hast thou placed all my senses. I am 
sorry for the bad use I have made of them, and I entreat 
thee to forgive me. I detest especially all the sensuality I 
have indulged in — taking delight in perfumes — all the dis- 
gust I have given way to, with the sick, the poor, &c. 
my God ! grant me pardon, through the infinite merits 
53* 



630 REMOTE PREPARATION FOR DEATH. 



of Jesus Christ, thy well beloved Son, my Saviour, and in 
virtue of his most precious blood, in which I hope to be 
washed, by the Sacrament which he instituted for the 
sanctification of my whole being. Amen. 

I offer thee, in satisfaction for all the sins I have com- 
mitted by my smelling, the sacred use which my Saviour 
made of this sense during his mortal life. 

FOR THE UNCTION OF THE MOUTH. 

MAKE the sign of the cross, &c, and say: By the 
holy unction, which I hope to receive in my last ill- 
ness, and through thy most clement mercy, O my God ! I 
supplicate thee to pardon all the sins I have committed by 
the sense of taste, and by my words. Alas ! they are in- 
numerable. What intemperance ! what delicacy ! what 
excess in eating ! How many vain, proud, false, unchari- 
table and unbecoming discourses ! How many murmurs, 
calumnies, &c. 

I am sorry, O Lord ! for all the sins I have committed 
by my mouth; and I ask pardon, through the infinite 
merits of Jesus Christ, thy well beloved Son, my Saviour, 
and in virtue of his most precious blood, in which I hope 
to be washed, by the sacrament which he instituted for the 
sanctification of my whole being. Amen. 

I offer thee, in satisfaction for my delicacy and gluttony, 
the mortifications and fasts of my divine Saviour. In satis- 
faction for my sinful words, I offer his silence in his in- 
fancy, in his retired life, and in the presence of his judges ; 
for the same intention, I offer all the sacred words which 
he uttered during his mortal life. 

FOR THE UNCTION OF THE HANDS. 

MAKE the sign of the cross, &c, and say: By the 
holy unction, which I hope to receive in my last ill- 
ness, and through thy most clement mercy, O my God ! I 
supplicate thee to pardon all my sins of commission and 
omission. 

For all my bad actions, and all my omissions of good 
works, I am sorry, and ask pardon, through the infinite 
merits of Jesus Christ, thy well beloved Son, my Saviour, 
and in virtue of his most precious blood, in which I hope 
to be washed by the sacrament which he instituted for the 
sanctification of my whole being. Amen. 

I offer thee, in satisfaction for the sins I have committed 



REMOTE PREPARATION FOR DEATH. 631 



by my hands, all the sacred actions performed by my di- 
vine Saviour, and all the pains which he endured, when his 
most holy hands were cruelly nailed to the cros3. 

FOR THE UXCTION OF THE FEET. 

MAKE the sign of the cross. &c, and say: By the 
holy unction which I hope to receive in my la^t ill- 
ness, and through thy most clement mercy, O my God ! I 
supplicate thee to pardon all the sins I h ive committed by 
useless and sinful steps. 

I am sorry, O my God ! for the many steps I have 
taken in the paths of vanity and sin; I ask pardon through 
the infinite merits of Jesus Christ, thy weli beloved .-.on, 
my Saviour, and in virtue of his most precious bio ;d, in 
which 1 hope to be washed by the sacrament which he in- 
stituted for the sanctification of my whole being. Ame/i. 

In satisfaction for them, I offer tiiee his journeys, fa- 
tigues, all his sacred steps, and the pains which he expe- 
rienced, when his most holy feet were so cruelly pierced 
with rough nails. 

The above acts may be enlarged or abridged, according 
to each one's time or devotion. After these acts, say the 
Miserere. Then you may fervently recite the prayers for 
the agonizing and departing. After this, imagine yourself 
summoned to the tribunal of judgment. At the same mo- 
ment, perhaps, some religious soul is indeed undergoing 
her judgment ; for her the time of mercy is past. Here iet 
your acts of thanksgiving be heartfelt, your resolutions 
most determined. What would you do, had you been ac- 
tually sent back from the gates of hell, or from those of 
purgatory ? 

THE LITANY FOR OBTAINING A GOOD 
DEATH. 

"J" ORD Jesus, gracious God, Father of mercy! I pre- 
I 1 sent myself before thee with an humble and contrite 
heart. I recommend my last hour, and all that shall fol- 
low, into thy hands. 

When my immovable feet will warn rne, that my course 
in this life wiil soon be finished, merciful Jesus ! have pity 
on me. 

When my eyes, obscured at the approach of death, shall 
cast their dying looks towards thee, merciful Jesus ! have 
pity on me. 



632 REMOTE PREPARATION FOR DEATH. 



When my lips, cold and trembling, will pronounce ^ 
for the last time thy adorable name, 

When my pale and livid cheeks will inspire the be- 
holders with compassion, 

When the cold sweat of death will announce my 
approaching end, 

When my ears shall be about to close to every hu- 
man voice, and open only to hear the irrevocable sen- 
tence of thy justice, which shall separate me from the 
number of the living, 

When my imagination, agitated by dark and terrify- 
ing phantoms, will be plunged in cruel sadness, 

When my mind, troubled at the sight of my iniqui- 
ties, and by the fear of thy justice, shall contend with 
the angel of darkness, who would hide thy mercies 
from me, and cast me into despair, 

When my weak heart, overpowered by the pains of 
sickness, will be seized with the horrors of death, 

When I shall be surrounded by my relatives and 
friends, lamenting my sad condition, and offering up 
their supplications in my behalf, 

When I shall shed my last tears, the forerunners of 
my dissolution, receiving them as a tribute of penance, 

When I shall have lost the use of my senses, and 
the whole world shall disappear from my view, 

When the last sighs of my heart shall force my soul 
from my body, accepting them as expressive of a holy 
impatience to be thine, 

When my soul shall be on my lips, departing; from 
this world, and shall leave my body cold and lifeless, 
accepting the destruction of my being as a homage 
paid to thy divine majesty, 

When my soul shall appear before thee, and for the 
first time behold the glory of thy countenance, oh ! 
that it may not be then cast from thee, but that it 
may be received into the bosom of thy mercy, to sing 
thy praises for ever, 



LET US PRAY. 

OGOD! who, condemning us 10 death, hast concealed 
from us the moment of its occurrence, grant, that 
spending all the days of our lives in justice and hoiiness, 
we may have the happiness to breathe our last in thy love : 
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. 



INSTRUCTIONS FOR THOSE WHO ASSIST THE 
SICK AND DYING. 

THERE is no work of charity more acceptable to God, 
none more conducive to the salvation of souls, than to 
assist those about to depart out of this life, to die in a holy- 
manner ; for at the hour of death, on which the eternal 
happiness of each one depends, the attacks of hell are 
stronger, while the weakness of the sick is greater. Our 
Lord, to signify how pleasing the attendance o n dying per- 
sons is to him, frequently snowed to St. Philip of Neri, 
Angels suggesting words to those who assist them. 

One of the principal cares of those attending the sick, 
should be, to have supernatural motives: that they may 
thus draw the blessing of God on the sick person as well 
as on themselves. If there be pain, disgust and danger in 
this exercise of charity, there is surely encouragement, 
consolation and joy in the reflection, that we are relieving 
the distress of poor sufferers. We should call to mind the 
eternal reward promised by Jesus Christ: "Come ye 
blessed of my Father .... I was sick and you visited 
me." The motive which should influence us above all 
others, is this: our dearest Lord considers as done to him- 
self, whatever we do to any one for his sake. How de- 
lighted should we be, to have it in our power to give some 
proofs of gratitude and love to our Jesus, our God, our 
All! 

We should also remember that we have entered a school 
in which we are to learn the exercise of Charity, in the 
practice of patience and contempt of this life — being ready 
to sacrifice repose, health and life itself, for the salvation 
of ^ouls and the glory of God. 

THOUGHTS WHICH MAY BE SEASONABLY SUGGESTED 
TO THE SICK. 

HOW good is our God, to give us the means of doing 
penance for our sins in this life ! Sometimes, when 
he sees we have not resolution enough to do voluntary 
penance, he sends us sickness. 

Sickness is a time of great merit ; for, although all our 
pains of body and mind could never of themselves merit 

cm 



634 



INSTRUCTIONS FOR THOSE 



eternal glory, yet each moment of suffering, borne pa- 
tiently, and united with the sufferings of our Saviour, 
merits for us that eternal glory. 

Our Lord often deprives us of health, because we have 
made a bad use of it ; or to avert the evils that would be- 
fall us, if we still possessed it. 

Our good God will not punish us as our Judge, after 
having punished us as our Father. 

If we receive our Father's chastisements with gratitude 
and love, we shall never receive the chastisements of our 
Judge. If we do not abuse his mercy, we shall never ex- 
perience the rigors of his justice. 

When we are attacked by sickness, we should, at the 
very beginning of this trial, humbly and lovingly submit ; 
not desiring to come down from the cross, to which we are 
attached, until such is the will of God, whether it be for 
life or death. 

We should not let the sickness which God intended to 
be the means of our effectual conversion to him, and of 
union to our suffering Saviour, become, through our own 
fault, the occasion of sin and separation from him. 

St. Gregory says: 44 Our pains of mind and body are 
the torments of mercy. The chastisements of God are 
marks of his love." 

St. Bernard says: "Time passes, and our pains pass 
with it ; but the glory which follows these pains passes 
not — it is eternal." 

St. Felix, martyr, exclaimed: " O how pleasing in the 
sight of God, is a Christian suffering with patience !" 

Sickness is often a message from God, to remind us that 
we are shortly to leave our dwelling here below, and go to 
our eternal habitation. 

We must not look on the dark side of our condition, but 
consider the many comforts we enjoy. Would it be well 
to lie always on the side which pains us most I 

To bear our sufferings without complaining is a great 
deal; but to suffer in silence all the inconveniences the 
providence of God may make use of to sanctify our sick- 
ness, is true patience. 

One drop of the blood of our Saviour, applied by an act 
of loving submission, is an efficacious balm in the bitterest 
extremity. 

In our severest sufferings, let us measure our cross with 
the cross of our Jesus. 



WHO ASSIST THE SICK. 



635 



To those who suffer a great deal, say : You are on the 
cross ; remember that our Lord, through excess of love for 
you, did not ask to come down from his. In the burnings 
of fever, speak to them of the fire of purgatory — in the 
thirst, which generally torments the sick, remind them of 
the drop of water refused to the rich man, and which shall 
eternally be refused — of the vinegar and gall given to Jesus 
in his extreme thirst on the cross : and in the sadness and 
weariness of long and painful nights, speak to them of the 
eternal night of the reprobate. 

The Prayer Book should remain on the table beside the 
sick, and some of the acts for the sick should be frequently 
read for those who are unable to read for themselves, es- 
pecially acts of patience, contrition, of perfect resignation 
to the will of God, of "oblation or offering themselves up 
entirely to the divine will — of faith, hope and charity ; 
these acts should be frequently repeated, as they tend 
more directly to unite the soul with God ; and virtually 
contain in themselves all the dispositions necessary to de- 
fend the soul against the usual attacks of the enemy in her 
last moments. 

SOME POINTS TO BE PARTICULARLY ATTENDED TO. 

SPEAK but little at a time, and in a low voice, with a 
mild and compassionate manner. 
Keep from the sick such objects as might affect them too 
much. 

Frequently suggest acts of contrition, faith, hope and 
love of God and of our neighbor. 

Remind them to renew often their oblation by saying : I 
offer thee, my God, my pains, my agony, and my death, in 
expiation of my sins, in union with the sufferings, agony 
and death of my Saviour. 

Frequent use of the sign of the cross, and of holy water, 
should be made. Often remind them of Indulgences. 

To prepare the sick for the news of approaching death, 
suggest it, by dwelling on the Lord's prayer, thus : My 
God, my Father, my sickness is from thee— -are these the 
last days of my exile ? Wilt thou now call me to thyself ? 
Our Father, who art in heaven. 

It is for the glory of thy name I live or die. Hallowed 
he thy name, whether in my life or in my death. 

Let thy kingdom come to me, whether for this world or 
the next. Thy kingdom come. 



636 



INSTRUCTIONS FOR THOSE, &C. 



Let all that is within me be subjected to thy will. May 
thy adorable will be accomplished in my life or my death. 
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 

Give me my daily grace in this time of trial. Give us 
this day our daily bread. 

Pardon me the sins I have committed against thee, as I 
pardon every one thaf* has ever offended me. Forgive us 
our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. 

I rejoice in the hope of being so soon released from the 
danger of offending thee — and I beseech thee to preserve 
me irom yielding to temptation, during the few days of 
probation that may yet remain to me. Lead us not into 
temptation. 

, I do not ask for a long life ; but I beg and implore to be 
delivered from an ill end. Deliver us from evil. 

The preparations for Viaticum, Extreme Unction, and 
the last benediction, should be read to the sick at the very 
beginning of a serious illness, and more than once if they 
desire it. They should be read slowly, with short pauses 
now and then : it is in this manner all readings should be 
made, that the sick may have an opportunity to follow with 
mind and heart. As their weakness would not allow them 
to hear much at a time, you should return frequently — 
reading small portions each time. 

As soon as symptoms of death manifest themselves, the 
dying should be immediately, though prudently, apprized 
of their condition. 

When assisting dying persons, watch and pray continu- 
ally, suggest one aspiration at a time, because the weak- 
ness and distress of the body; the confusion of the mind, 
when the soul is fluttering between time and eternity ; (he 
temptations of the enemy, who, at this time, redoubles his 
attacks, and all the circumstances that usually attend the 
state of dying persons, make them stand in need of every 
assistance that can be given. 

Continue to watch and pray, even when they speak no 
more and give no sign that they hear you ; because, many 
who, having, to all appearance, passed through their agony, 
and, for a considerable time, seemed to be actually dead, 
have afterwards revived, and declared that they heard all 
that had been said around them, and of them, though they 
were utterly unable to give the least sign of life. 



INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SICK. 



E must suffer and die. Death is a debt which must 
be paid — none can escape it. By disobedience we 
all became subject to sickness and death. Who are un- 
willing to die ? they, who do not know God, — they, who 
do not love him. 

We have given ourselves wholly to God, we have be- 
come his children in a special manner ; and we profess to 
be strangers on earth, looking continually for his kingdom. 
How generous then should be our dispositions ! How spi- 
ritual and detached from the senses, our lives, which being 
separated from the world, should be no longer conformed 
to its spirit ! 

Instead of seeking anxiously for relief in our sufferings, 
we should rather be humbled by the care that is taken of 
us. It is true, we have to conform to the practice of the 
house ; but, at least, let us try to preserve, in our hearts, 
the spirit of penance, while charity grants us the indul- 
gences offered alike to the weak and to the strong. 

In order to cultivate and preserve this spirit, we should 
take the remedies given us, in the disposition of submission 
and obedience ; neither seeking nor refusing them, nor 
showing vexation or impatience when we are to take them 
or do without them. We should use them as if we did not 
use them, and not with solicitude and anxiety, as world- 
lings do. For whatever advantage is expected to be de- 
rived from the use of them, we must look to the hand of 
God for their virtue and effect ; since God is the Physician, 
of whom all other physicians are only the instruments : 
and whether they cure us or increase our malady, we may 
be sure they do only what he ordains for us. The best 
remedies and the most skilful and experienced physicians 
fail, when he sees their success wou4d not be for our good : 
therefore, we should entertain an entire indifference for the 
event of our sickness. Still we must obey the orders of 
the physician, with the utmost exactness ; for while the 
sacred Scripture says : All healing is from God, the same 
Scripture says, Honor the physician, for fhe need thou hast 
of him; for, the Most High hath created him .... The Most 
High hath created medicines .... and a wise man will not 

abhor them The virtue of these things is come to the 

knowledge of men; and the Most High hath given knowledge 

54 637 




638 



INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SICK. 



to men, that he may be honored in his wonders. By these Tie 
shall cure, and shall allay their pains • • • • Give place to the 
physician, for the Lord created him, and let him not depart 
from thee; for his works are necessary. Ecclus. xxxviii. 

If we would bear our sickness in the spirit of true 
penance, we must consider ourselves as criminals, con- 
demned to punishment by our Sovereign and just Judge ; 
or, as disobedient children, on whom a most tender Father 
inflicts a salutary correction, that, by it, we may be brought 
back to our home, and restored to his bosom. Far then 
from being vexed by any neglect, were it even in our 
greatest want, we should rejoice in the occasion of adding 
to our penance. And, while we are grateful for the acts 
of kindness we receive, we should be ready to excuse every 
neglect. If we are true children of God, we will be glad, 
that the very means proposed for our relief should augment 
our sufferings. 

We would be unworthy the name of his children, were 
we to complain, either of the words or humor of those who 
take care of us ; and if we refrain from complaining our- 
selves, we should not wish others to complain for us ; nor 
should we ever desire that others would represent the 
greatness of our sufferings, and thus procure sympathy for 
us. Such weakness may be pardonable in children, who, 
led by the movements of nature, desire to be petted, and 
who are indeed caressed, that they may not fret and be 
troublesome. But would it not be a shame for servants 
and followers of a crucified God to require such treatment, 
so unsuited to their profession of mortification and penance, 
and to that divine life, so far above nature, which they 
have embraced? 

When we are pitied and soothed in our sufferings, we 
should be humbled, fearing, that by impatience or exagge- 
ration of our pains, we may have caused these marks of 
compassion to be given to us. We should try, by our 
patience and silence, to prevent the repetition of what we 
are sensible is so opposed to the spirit of penance. The 
silence of our Saviour in his passion, should be our model 
in the time of suffering ; for, then especially, we are most 
liable to use inconsiderate expressions : and when the im- 
patience is expressed, often we would excuse it, by telling 
the worst of our pains, and thus increase the evil, instead 
of remedying it. On the other hand, if we show courage 
and fortitude, we betray our vanity. And, indeed, we 



INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SICK. 



639 



often would not wish to be believed while we deny the ex- 
tent of our suffering. Silence is the only remedy for both 
these evils ; for if we are patient and mortified, it renders 
these virtues worthy of the eye of God, in proportion as 
we conceal them from human eyes : and if we are dis- 
posed to give way to impatience, by observing this silence 
faithfully, we are kept under a salutary restraint, and in- 
sensibly we gain the victory over our impatient and un- 
modified spirit, by thus stifling and suppressing it. Besides 
this, we converse more easily with God, when we converse 
less with creatures. And we merit much if we tell our 
pains only to God, beg his grace to bear them well, anu 
offer them to him as our penance. 

We must remember that in time of sickness, we should 
show great charity to others, since we require so much at 
their hands. We ought to receive the care they bestow 
on us as a favor we are unworthy of, instead of noticing 
their omissions or neglects. Indeed it is a much greater 
advantage for us to bestow our patience on them, than to 
receive the fruits of theirs; what we gain from them being 
but a passing comfort or assistance, while what we give, 
is given to God, who will return a hundred fold in heaven. 

If we have companions in our sickness, we must remem- 
ber that we never can know what they suffer ; and what- 
ever the appearances may be, we must never judge to their 
disadvantage. Nothing would render us so unworthy of 
the grace of God, through which alone we can hope to bear 
our sufferings with merit, as judging disadvantageously of 
another. 

We must not endeavor to seek out the cause of our sick- 
ness, whether it is place, employment, food, w r atchings, 
penances, &,c, because this only feeds self-love, and 
weakens the spirit of penance. The true source of our 
maladies is always to be found in our sins, and in the visit- 
ations of the justice of God; or in his mercy, which gives 
us the means of doing penance and purifying ourselves ; or 
in liis bountiful providence, which' draws his glory from 
our infirmities and trials, while we are securing new acces- 
sions of eternal glory. 

In our trials, we cannot fail to see how necessary a pa- 
tient and loving conformity to the good pleasure of God i3 ; 
for, without it, the soul, which should be purified and 
strengthened by the sickness of the body, becomes more 
diseased than the body itself; and we, far from gaining 



640 



INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SICK. 



merit, would be rendered more guilty, and deprive our- 
selves of the special help and consolation of God, at the 
very time we most need them. 

Let us attend to the voice of our dying Saviour, who, 
from the height of his cross, to which he remained fas- 
tened until his last breath, tells us to suffer with him, that 
we may reign with him. He assures us that our patient 
sufferings will extinguish the eternal flames which our sins 
have deserved, consume our chaff, and purify us for eter- 
nity, where we will receive a weight of eternal glory, in 
exchange for the light and momentary pains of this short 
life. 

St Cyprian, speaking of a penitent soul about departing 
this life, says: She may see, with consolation, the king- 
dom of God opening to her, the world passing, with all its 
sorrows and miseries, and giving place to an infinite, eter- 
nal happiness. No longer subjected to the temptations of 
the enemy, the soul finds her true peace : leaving the port 
of this life of turmoil, she enters her eternal dwelling; she 
passes from sufferings and death to a blissful immortality. 

Who would not desire to quit the snares and dangers of 
our present condition, and go to him who said, when about 
to die : Your sadfiess shall be turned into joy. I will come 
again to you: your heart shall rejoice, and your joy shall 
not be taken away. 

It is sickness and death which call us to God, and open 
our way to eternal life. How courageous then should we 
be in these painful trials, (through our bright hope of fu- 
turity,) which St. Paul calls corrections, not afflictions — 
trials of our faith, and proofe of God's love. We should 
accept, with our whole heart, the good occasion of gaining 
our eternal reward, and give thanks to him who supports 
us in all our pains, who lights up and gives constancy to 
our faith, which is tried like gold in the furnace. When 
we remember that this narrow way is traced by the very 
blood of our Saviour, we are encouraged and animated. 

What are we in this world but probationers and exiles ? 
Can we then see the end of our probation and banishment 
approaching without joy? Who approaches his home, the 
dwelling of his family and friends, with a reluctant heart? 
Is not heaven our true home, and is not our true Father 
there, and with him the myriads of the blessed, who are 
waiting for us ? 

Let us hasten, says the divine word, to enter into this 



INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SICK. 



641 



rest. Let us hasten to be united with Christ our head, 
free from the danger or fear of losing him. Oh ! how we 
should cherish this thought in our hearts ! because our 
glory will be proportioned to our desires of being united to 
nim. 

The day of our death should be the happiest of our 
lives. Our holy Mother, the Church, commemorates the 
departure of her children out of this world, rather than 
their entrance into it — their deliverance from this Babylon 
of misery and sin, where salvation is never secure ; from 
the prison of the body, in which so many enemies are en- 
closed. O day of our death, thrice happy day ! O the 
blessed impossibility to offend God ! Eternal liberty with 
the children of God, and everlasting repose and rest in 
him ! 

CONSOLATIONS AND ADVANTAGES OF 
SUFFERINGS. 

E may be sure that, when God afflicts us, it is to in- 
struct us ; and when he strikes, it is to heal us. It 
is the Lord who chastises ; let him be blessed for ever : he 
knows what is best : my trust is in his infinite goodness. 
Without this disposition, how pitiable our case would be ! 
We would bear all the weight of the cross, without any 
alleviation — experience all its bitterness, without any of 
its sweetness. 

God ! strengthen us ; give us grace to suffer in the 
manner most agreeable to thee, and then send us what suf- 
ferings thou pleasest. 

What would we think of a person who, being happily 
driven, by a very favorable wind, towards the port to which 
he is bound, would choose rather to be left in the midst of 
rocks, where there is every danger of shipwreck ? Now, 
is it not just so with us ? The wind of trials and suffer- 
ings will certainly drive us to the port of salvation, if we 
would but help to press on by a loving submission ; and 
yet we shrink from the favorable gale : we prefer rather to 
be the sport of those dangers which threaten us with eter- 
nal ruin. 

Are our pains and trials too high a price to pay for the 
possession of God ? While we suffer, we must remember 
that we are purchasing heaven. It is only by suffering we 

54* 




642 



INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SICK. 



can become like our crucified Master, and receive a pledge 
of our share in his glory. 

The cross, if carried with patient and loving submission, 
is a certain mark of our election. 

The cross is the seal with which the mercy of God now 
marks us ; so that, when the ministers of his justice come, 
we may be distinguished from those over whom they are 
to pour the chalice of the divine wrath. This seal of the 
cross will rank us among those whose robes are washed in 
the blood of the Lamb — the Lamb that was slain for us. 
This divine Lamb will become our good Shepherd, in his 
heavenly Jerusalem, during a glorious and happy eternity, 
and lead us to the fountain of living waters: then he will 
wipe away all tears from our eyes ; and sorrow and pain 
shall be no more. 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SICK. AGAINST 
DIFFERENT TEMPTATIONS, &c. 

IMPATIENCE. 

TO die in the greatest pains in this life, and pass to the 
most dreadful torments of the next, was the case Of 
the bad ihief. And what was the cause? Was it solely 
the enormous sins of which he had been guilt)' ? No : it 
was his want of faith, patience and contrition. For the ac- 
complice of his crimes, and the companion of his torments, 
went to heaven from the very arms of the cross ; his faith, 
patience and contrition drew from his Judge this promise : 
This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise. 

Let us consider that God "puts a crown of thorns on us 
in this life, that we may merit a crown of glory in the 
next. The more painful the one is on earth, the more 
glorious will the other be in heaven. The suffering soon 
terminates, but the recompense will be eternal. 

They who think much of the pains of this life think too 
little of the pains of the next : one or the other must be 
endured. When we are well persuaded that tribulations 
and sickness suffered here with patience stand in the place 
of purgatory in the next world, we soon enter into the dis- 
positions with which the souls of the just suffer there ; 
and, far from desiring that our pains should be diminished, 
we desire even that they may be increased, that we may 
atisfy, in the fullest manner in our power, for our sins. 



INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SICK. 



643 



Let us consider the bed in which we suffer as our pur- 
gatory. 

If we compare our pains with those of hell — that hell 
we have so often deserved ; it we weigh and measure our 
sufferings with those of a lost soul, — the very greatest we 
can endure will appear as nothing, and we will cry out with 
gratitude and love : Let the mercy of my God be blessed 
for condemning me to these fever3 and pains. How light 
is this punishment compared to my sins ! St. Bernard 
says : If we descend in spirit into hell, and see with the 
eyes of faith what is suffered there, our severest pains 
would seem as nothing, in comparison with the eternal 
torments of the reprobate ; and that which, without this 
consideration, seems insupportable, would be endured with 
gratitude and joy. 

A religious of the order of St. Bernard was visited in his 
sickness by St. Agatha, who said to him : " Sixty days of 
pains, which you will suffer, will perfect you in the merits 
of the sixty years you have been serving God." He died 
sixty days afterwards. 

Impatience will neither ease our pains, nor cure our 
maladies ; but patience will both mitigate and render them 
meritorious. 

FEAR OF DEATH. 

SINCE I must die some day or other, why not die at this 
very time ? I can easily be mistaken, but God can never 
mistake the best time for the end of my earthly course. 

After death, there is no more danger of offending God — ■ 
no more sin. Though I live no longer here below, I shall 
live with my God for ever ; I shall love and praise him for 
all eternity. 

" Jerusalem, my happy home, how do I sigh for thee," &c. 

AGAINST THE FEAR OF BEING LOST. 

IF 1 consider only the justice of God, my sins condemn 
me to punishment, to eternal reprobation : but I hear 
the voice of my Saviour, saying : At whatever time the 
sinner seeks for mercy and pardon, mercy and pardon shall 
both be granted, even at the last hour, if he come with a 
sincere and penitent heart. Remember the good thief. 

My God forbids me to despair, he commands me to hope. 
It depends on me to renounce my sins sincerely— God does 



644 



INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SICK 



not require what is impossible — the blood of my Saviour is 
ready to blot them out. I will hope in the virtue of that 
blood — I will enter into the sacred heart of my Jesus, 
where a dying sinner can always find refuge, salvation and 
life. If his justice should seem to drive me away from 
him, still I will follow him, with sighs and tears, until he 
receives me into the bosom of his mercy. 

Our good and merciful God will never reject a repent- 
ant sinner, even had he been the greatest of all offenders. 
No malice of sin, no number of crimes can surpass the 
greatness of God's mercy. Persevere in trusting in his 
infinite goodness and mercy, until he bids you depart from 
this world in peace. 

Our Saviour called Judas friend, to show that he was 
not yet irretrievably excluded from his friendship. His 
despair alone was the cause of his reprobation : he thought, 
as Cain did, that his sin was too great to be pardoned. The 
malice of man can never be infinite, while the goodness of 
God is always infinite : consequently I must never despair. 
An immense goodness demands a boundless confidence. 

I know that my whole life has been filled with sins and 
imperfections. I now accept of death, with humble sub- 
mission, in atonement for my continual disobedience to the 
holy will of my good God. And since I can only cease to 
sin, by ceasing to live, I am even glad to die, that I may 
sin no more. Is this confidence too great, my soul ? It 
cannot be, since we have an infinite satisfaction to offer 
for sin, the infinite merits of our redeemer. We will 
then go out of this world, confiding- in Jesus, our God 
and Saviour. In thee, O Lord ! have I trusted, I shall 
never be confounded. 

My Faith is the same that Jesus Christ commissioned his 
Apostles to teach to the whole world, when he said to them : 
Go ye, and teach all nations . . . and behold I am with you 
all days, even to the consummation of the world. 

Our blessed Saviour did not promise his Apostles to be 
with them, for three or four hundred years only, but all 
days, even to the consummation of the world. How then 
could the Catholic Church ever go astray, her pastors hav- 
ing always with them, Jesus Christ himself, who is the 
•way, the truth and the life ? What a happiness to be a 
child of the holy Catholic and Apostolic Church ! 

To die in the bosom and communion of the true Church, 
oh what a blessing ! 



MEDITATIONS FOR THE SICK. 645 



Invite the Blessed Virgin Mary, the holy Apostles, the 
millions of martyrs who have laid down their lives in de- 
fence , r this pure and holy faith, the whole triumphant 
Church, to unite with you in thanksgiving. 

Glory be to the Father, fyc. 

THE BEST DISPOSITIONS FOR A DEPARTING SOUL. 

SEVERAL of the Fathers of the desert, having as- 
sembled together, conferred on the best manner of 
preparing for the last passage. The last that spoke, said, 
that he believed an humble and loving conformity to the 
divine will was most conformable to the spirit of our dying 
Saviour. And in truth this disposition includes every other : 
it perfects contrition, disposes the soul to receive the sacra- 
ments worthily ; it tends to strengthen our faith, support 
our hope, and perfect our charity. This disposition is com- 
prised in our dying Saviour's own words, which we should 
appropriate : Father — a title of love — into thy hands 1 com- 
mend — an act of resignation — my spirit — that is my soul, 
my life, and all that I am. I commend my spirit into those 
divine hands, which, I know by faith, are filled with mercies, 
and which are ever ready to apply the merits of my Jesus 
to my soul. 

After we have received the Viaticum and Extreme Unc- 
tion, the securest and best disposition is that of an entire 
abandonment of ourselves to God, both for the time of 
death, and after death ; for time and eternity, with only 
one desire — that God may glorify himself in us, in what- 
ever way he pleases. 

» — - 



MEDITATIONS FOR THE SICK. 

FIRST MEDITATION. 

FIRST POINT. 

17 NTER within yourself; unfold your heart before God. 
-J If any secret sin be there, will you not detest it ? Will 
you not confess it sincerely ? Will you not try by your 
sorrow and tears, to endeavor to efface it ? Are you not 
disposed to do penance in order to atone for it ? 



646 



MEDITATIONS FOR THE SICK. 



Sin i3 less the cause of the damnation of so many souls, 
than the want of confidence in God, which would make 
them expect all things from the infinite merits of Jesus 
Christ. 

SECOND POINT. 

WHATEVER sins we have been so unhappy as to 
commit during the course of our lives, if we have 
mingled our tears with the blood of the Lamb, which flows 
to our souls through the medium of the sacraments, we 
must not fear that these sins will appear against us. No 
vestige of them remains : there is now no condemnation to 
them who are in Christ Jesus. Rom. viii i. 

THIRD POINT. 

LET us not fear to appear at the tribunal of divine Jus- 
tice : our Saviour's merits have sanctified our penance, 
and our sins are pardoned. The justice of God is for us 
changed into mercy. God considers us as his dear chil- 
dren redeemed by the blood of his Son ; — as conquests won 
for heaven. 

God's own glory is included in our salvation. Let us 
not fear ; the cup of his wrath is poured out only on the 
hardened and impenitent. 

SECOND MEDITATION. 

FIRST POINT. 

GOD is charity, all charity and goodness ; and good- 
ness delights to communicate itself. It was this in- 
finite goodness, which drew us from nothing, and gave us 
a being. This same goodness desires us to share in his 
own happiness. He is our father; and what will not a 
good father do for the salvation and happiness of his chil- 
dren,— even of those who had most afflicted and pained 
him by their undutiful conduct ! 

SECOND POINT. 

GOD is so good that he protests that the punishment 
of sinners is a work most grievous to him, and that 
his greatest delight is to do good to every thing that lives. 

The almost immense charity, with which the hearts of 
the Saints are inflamed, is but a little stream which flows 
from the boundless ocean of his charity. 



MEDITATIONS FOR THE SICK. 



647 



THIRD POINT. 

IF our salvation were in the hands of a friend, who loves 
us tenderly, how contented would we be ! What then 
should be our happy security, since it is in the hands of 
our God — the most tender of Fathers ! Our Father, who 
art in heaven. Yes, he is our Father ; — we will love him, 
and our confidence shall be unbounded. 

THIRD MEDITATION. 

FIRST POINT. 

THE goodness of God to the worst of sinners, while 
they are on earth, is so great, that he seems to forget 
his majesty and the rights of his justice, in favor of the 
pleadings of his mercy, which seeks to pardon them. He 
uses every means to convert and gain their hearts, — re- 
morse of conscience, threats, invitations, afflictions, &c. 

A sinner being a strayed sheep from the fold of our Sa- 
viour ; like a good shepherd, he seeks him with more care 
than he bestows on all the rest of his flock. And being a 
prodigal wanderer from the best of Fathers, he is received, 
on his return, with the tenderest compassion, and restored 
to every blessing, without even a reproach for his disobe- 
dience and ingratitude. 

SECOND POINT. 

WHEN God threatens us for our sins, it is not his in- 
tention to punish, but to save us from punishment. 
Jonas knew well the heart of God, when he refused to go 
to Ninive to announce its approaching ruin. He doubted 
not, that if that abominable city did penance, God would be 
propitious to it, and revoke his sentence of condemnation; 
his displeasure and threats being always accompanied with 
mercy, in favor of humble and contrite penitents. 

THIRD POINT. 

THROUGH the whole course of my sinful life, God has 
patiently borne with me, even when I was at the 
height of my sinful career. He waited the return of his 
prodigal child ; and, far, from rejecting me, when I came 
back, he received me with the utmost tenderness, and re- 
stored me to all my rights and privileges, as his own child. 
A thousand and a thousand times have I sinned, and as 



648 MEDITATIONS FOR THE SICK. 

often has he pardoned me. His past goodness, then, is a 

pledge of what I may hope for in death. 

My greatest crime, at that moment, would be to distrust 
his mercy. He will not permit me to perish when I re- 
pent, since he did not destroy me in my sins. The mer- 
cies, with which he has followed me every moment of my 
life, fill my soul with confidence. 

FOURTH MEDITATION. 

FIRST POINT. 

IT is God, who inspires the heart of a mother with so 
tender a love for the child of her breast — a love sur- 
mounting, in after years, even the black ingratitude of the 
child she has thus fed. How immense then must be the 
source of this love, which is but as a little stream flowing 
from the bosom of God, — the exuberance of his boundless 
compassion ! How truly infinite must be that love which 
communicates itself to so many millions of hearts ! Will 
he, who inspires the hearts of mothers with such incon- 
ceiyable love, be himself without pity for the children he 
gave life to — the works of his own hands ? 

SECOND POINT. 

CONSIDER the multitude of penitent souls, who have 
been, in all ages, striking monuments of the mercies 
of God. The people of Israel, so perverse in their iniqui- 
ties, mourned and wept before God ; and he let the hand 
drop, which he had lifted to destroy them. But they re- 
lapsed quickly, and were again pardoned when they re- 
pented. Again and again his mercies overcame their 
obstinacy in iniquity, and, upon the first marks of sincere 
conversion, compassionated their infidelities and ingrati- 
tude. Ninive was sentenced to destruction, but did penance, 
and was pardoned. King David, a murderer and adulterer, 
confesses his sin, detests it, and is restored to friendship. 
The penitent Manasses, humbled at the feet of God, weeps 
* in his chains and captivity ; and, in his turn, binds up the 
hands of the divine justice, at the very moment they were 
raised against him. Nor can their pardon be doubted ; 
for God, who is truth itself, has said, and has often re- 
peated the like assurances, that the day and moment the 
sinner renounces his sins and returns to him, his sins 



MEDITATION'S FOR THE SICK. 649 



shall be cast into the depths of the sea, and buried in eter- 
nal oblivion. 

THIRD POINT. 

CAN the greatest sinner doubt of the mercies of God, 
and his disposition to receive him with tenderness, if 
he considers the words addressed to his faithless people, to 
draw them to repentance ? A husband, says he, will re- 
ceive no more a faithless wife : that kind of wound can 
never be closed. But my heart is quite different from 
yours: though you have left me, and followed strange 
lovers, jealous as I am, (and none can be more jealous,) 
still return to me, and I will receive you, and again restore 
you to every right of my love. How can a sinner, who re- 
flects on the force of these words, refuse to be converted ! 
or how can a converted sinner consider them, and still en- 
tertain doubts of his pardon, and of the mercy of so com- 
passionate a God ? 

FIFTH MEDITATION. 

FIRST POINT. 




ET us detest our sins as the greatest of all evils, but 
| not be terrified by them, nor despond. 



The tears which St. Peter shed were as precious as the 
sin for which he wept was vile. Nothing could be more 
shameful than the conduct of Magdalen ; yet nothing could 
ennoble her more, or be more pleasing to our Lord, than 
her repentance and tears at his feet. Infinite goodness of 
our God ! what, in itself, must be our ruin, and draw his 
malediction on us, becomes the occasion of our salvation. 
It is only a skilful physician who can draw remedies from 
poison ; and God alone can draw his glory from our shame. 

SECOND POINT. 

IN consequence of the sin of our first parents, God be- 
comes man to save us ; he procures the greatest glory 
for heaven, and the most abundant mercy for earth. The 
most grievous sins may be washed away in the blood of 
our Jesus ; and humble and penitent sinners are more dear 
and pleasing to God than they were odious to him in their 
state of sin. How should we love our God, who draws 
our good from the evil we commit against him, and turns 

55 



650 



MEDITATIONS FOR THE SICK. 



to our salvation the very sins wJiich would, of themselves, 
have dragged us into hell ! 

THIRD POINT. 

OH ! that all created beings would unite their voices to 
declare this wondrous mercy of our God ! — that the 
whole court of heaven would join my weak praise, and 
thank that infinite goodness and mercy which disarm the 
divine justice ! 

O unspeakable goodness of God ! our sins become the 
occasion of our happiness and glory. 

SIXTH MEDITATION. 

FIRST POINT. 

LET us go, my soul, to the foot of the throne, to praise 
and bless the infinite love of God, who gave us his 
own Son to redeem us. Let us love and thank him who 
passed through the labors of our redemption — his whole 
life consecrated to us — seeking us, instructing us, remedy- 
ing our miseries, supp-lying our wants, at last laying down 
his very life for us ; then rising for us from the tomb, as- 
cending to heaven, to prepare our place, and yet remaining 
under veils of love, the companion of our exile, depositing 
the virtue of his blood, the treasures of his merits in the 
sacraments, and sending us the Holy Spirit, the comforter. 

SECOND POINT. 

BY baptism and faith in Jesus Christ we are united to 
God, and become his adopted children. The sacra- 
ments incorporate us with his beloved Son. Since we 
have had the happiness to be called to the true faith, to be 
baptized in the blood of our Saviour, and to be enriched 
with his infinite merits, we may confidently say that we- 
possess all things ; and, notwithstanding our unworthi- 
ness, we may hope, through our Jesus, to obtain every 
grace and benediction. 

THIRD POINT. 

A 1TE deserve indeed the rigors of God's justice; but 
W ne will save us f° r the sake of him who asked no- 
thing but our salvation in exchange for his blood and life. 



DEVOTIONS FOR THE SICK. 



651 



The condemnation of a sinner is a violence done to the 
divine mercy, as great as that which a tender father expe- 
riences who would be compelled to sign the condemnation 
of his revolted child. 

» — 

DEVOTIONS FOR THE SICK. 

A PRAYER IN THE BEGINNING OF SICKNESS. 

OMY God ! I accept of the sickness with which 
thou art pleased to visit me, as a special favor 
from thy fatherly hand. I accept of all its circum- 
stances and consequences, in satisfaction for my sins. 
Thou gavest me health and strength, Lord! and 
thou hast taken them away : may thy holy name be 
for ever blessed. I most humbly adore all thy divine 
appointments, and resign myself entirely to the direc- 
tion of thy wise providence, acknowledging that thou 
treatest me with too much indulgence. I deserve far 
greater sufferings than those I now endure, and merit 
pains even greater than those of hell, where I would 
long since have been, had not thy pure mercy inter- 
posed between my soul and thy justice. Alas ! how 
many are now suffering in those unquenchable flames 
for crimes less than mine ! My pains are nothing in 
comparison with theirs. I have no reason to com- 
plain. Oh ! may thy holy will be done on earth as it 
is in heaven ! I offer myself, with an entire submis- 
sion, to suffer whatever thou pleasest, as long as thou 
pleasest, and in what manner thou pleasest. Thou 
knowest how frail I am ; that I am nothing but dust 
and ashes. Deal not with me according to my sins, 
neither punish me according to my iniquities ; but, ac- 
cording to the multitude of thy most tender mercies, 
have compassion on me. Oh ! let thy justice be tem- 
pered with mercy ; and let thy heavenly grace come 



652 



DEVOTIONS FOR THE SICK. 



to my assistance, to support me under this illness. 
Confirm my soul with strength from above, that I 
may bear with fortitude and Christian patience, and 
even with the warmest gratitude, all the pains, dis- 
quiets and difficulties of my sickness. Be thou my 
defence against the assaults of the enemy. Grant 
also, if this illness is to be my last, that I may not be 
deprived of those helps which thou hast, in thy 
mercy, prepared to strengthen my soul on its passage 
to eternity ; that, being perfectly cleansed from all my 
sins, I may believe in thee, trust in thee, and, through 
the merits of thy passion and death, be admitted into 
the company of the blessed, where I may love and 
praise thee for ever. Amen. 

SHORT ACTS FOR THE SICK. 

When the sick are no longer able to read for themselves, 
these acts should be read for them, slowly — voice and 
manner as before suggested. Read only a few of them at 
a time, but suggest them frequently. 

MY God, I accept this sickness from thy hands, 
and I entirely resign myself to thy blessed will, 
whether it be for life or death. Not my will, but 
thine, be done. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in 
heaven. 

I submit to all the pains and uneasiness of this my 
illness : my sins have deserved infinitely more. 

Lord, I offer up to thee all that I now suffer, or 
may have yet to suffer, to be united to the sufferings 
of my Redeemer, and sanctified by his passion. 

1 adore thee, my God, and my all! as my first 
beginning and last end : and I desire to pay thee the 
best homage I am able, and to bow down all the 
powers of my soul to thee. 

I desire to praise thee for ever, in sickness as well 
as in health. I desire to join my heart and voice 
with the whole church of heaven and earth in bless- 
ing thee for ever. 



DEVOTIONS FOR THE SICK. 



653 



I give thee thanks, from the bottom of my heart, 
for all thy mercies and blessings, bestowed upon me 
and thy whole church, through Jesus Christ thy Son, 
and, above all, for having loved me from all eternity, 
redeemed me with his precious blood, called me to the 
true faith, and to a life of special consecration to thee. 

My God ! I believe all those heavenly truths which 
thou hast revealed, and which thy holy Catholic 
Church believes and teaches. Thou art the sovereign 
Truth, who neither canst deceive nor be deceived. 
Thou hast promised the spirit of truth, to guide thy 
Church in all truth. I believe in God the Father Al- 
mighty, <$rc. In this faith I resolve, through thy 
grace, both to live and die. Lord ! strengthen and 
increase this my faith. O my God ! all my hopes are 
in thee ; and, through Jesus Christ my Redeemer, 
through his passion and death, I hope for mercy, grace 
and salvation from thee. In thee, O Lord ! I have 
put my trust : oh ! let me never be confounded ! 

I love thee, my God! with my whole heart and 
soul, above all things : at least I desire so to love 
thee. Oh ! come now, take full possession of my 
soul, and teach me to love thee for ever. I wish to 
love my neighbor with perfect charity, for the love of 
thee. I forgive, from my heart, all who have in any 
way offended or injured me ; and I ask pardon of all 
whom I have in any way offended or injured. Have 
mercy on me, O God ! according to thy great mercy, 
and, according to the multitude of thy tender mercies, 
blot out my iniquities. 

Oh ! who will give water to my head, and a foun- 
tain of tears to my eyes, that, night and day, I may 
bewail my sins ! 

Oh ! that I had never offended so good a God ! 

Oh ! that I had never sinned ! 

Too late have I known thee, O eternal Truth! 

Too late have I loved thee, Beauty, always an- 
cient, and ever new ! 

55* 



654 



DEVOTIONS FOR THE SICK. 



God ! be merciful to me, a sinner. Jesus, Son 
of the living God ! have mercy on me. Jesus, infi- 
nite goodness ! have mercy on me. 

1 renounce, from this moment and for all eternity, 
the devil and all his works, and I abhor all his sug- 
gestions and temptations. Suffer not this mortal 
enemy, Lord of my soul ! to have any power over 
me, either now or at my last hour. Let thy holy 
Angels defend me from all the powers of darkness. 

My whole confidence, either of living or dying 
well, is grounded on the infinite merits of my Re- 
deemer's death and passion. Receive, eternal 
Father ! his precious merits, in satisfaction for all my 
sins. 

Thou hast, in thy justice, decreed that I should die : 
I most humbly submit to the sentence, and readily ac- 
cept of death in the spirit of penance ; I desire to 
honor thee by the sacrifice of my life, and to give a 
proof of loving obedience to thy just decrees. 

I desire that the destruction of my mortal existence 
should honor thy immortality. 

I wish to die, to expiate by my sufferings and death 
all the sins which I have ever committed. 

I wish to die, that I may no longer offend thee — 
that I may love thee, possess thee, praise thee, bless 
thee, and glorify thee for ever in heaven. 

I wish to die for thy glory, and to testify that I 
love thee better than myself. 

Heaven is my true home, and death is the path 
that leads to it. 

heavenly Jerusalem ! O beautiful city of God, 
my happy home ! When shall I arrive at thy sacred 
tabernacles ! 

Take courage, my soul: tby hour approaches; thy 
miseries and sorrows will soon have an end. 

Thou art going to the nuptials of the Lamb : thou 
art going to the land of the living. 

My divine Redeemer, I depend on thy merits, and 



DEVOTIONS FOR THE SICK. 655 

take shelter in thy bleeding wounds. I trust that thou 
wilt not suffer me to be for ever miserable, because 
thou art infinitely good and merciful. Since I have 
thy blood to plead in my behalf, why should I fear 1 
Why should I tremble at the thought of death, when 
I consider that thou hast satisfied for my sins, and 
laid down thy life for my salvation ] 

I am not afraid of hell, though I have deserved it; 
because my dear Jesus has purchased heaven for me. 

I hope in his mercy ; and all the artifices of the 
enemy shall never induce me to relinquish my hope. 

In spite of them all, I will sing eternal praises to 
thee, O blessed Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Ghost! 
I will adore thy mercies, and possess and love thee 
for ever. I will now say what, perhaps, I shall not 
be able to say at my dying moments. O Father of 
mercies, and God of all consolation! into thy most 
merciful hands I commend my soul, both for time and 
eternity. 

Now, instead of then, (when, perhaps, I may be 
deprived of the use of speech or reason,) I offer thee, 
O Lord ! my heart, my life, my agony, pains, anguish 
and distress, and my death, to be united to the bloody 
sweat, agony and death of my dear Saviour Jesus 
Christ: I now declare my abhorrence of whatever 
evil thoughts the enenrv shall then suggest to me. 

God of my heart, my portion and my inheritance 
for ever ! I desire to love thee with my whole heart, 
mind and strength. Oh! how good hast thou been to 
me ! and how ungrateful have I been to thee ! I 
grieve, from the bottom of my heart, that I have ever 
offended thee. 

How lovely are thy tabernacles, O Lord God of 
hosts! I love the beauty of thy house, and the place 
where thy glory dwelleth. The eye hath not seen, 
the ear hath not heard, nor hath it entered into the 
heart of man to conceive, what good things God hath 
prepared for those who love him. 



656 



DEVOTIONS FOR THE SICK. 



holy Mary, Mother of God, who didst assist at 
the death of thy beloved Son Jesus, obtain for me the 
grace of a happy death. Hail Mary, <jrc. 

Glorious St. Michael, prince of the heavenly host, 
intercede for me at the hour of my death. 

holy Guardian Angel, to whose care God, in his 
mercy, has committed me, stand by me at the dread- 
ful hour ; protect me against all the powers of dark- 
ness ; defend me from all my enemies, and conduct 
my soul to the mansions of bliss. 

O all ye blessed Angels and Saints of God, assist 
me by your intercession in this last and dreadful pas- 
sage. 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 
world, be thou then to me a powerful Redeemer and 
Advocate with the Father. 

sweet Jesus ! receive me into thy arms in that 
day of my distress : hide me in thy wounds : bathe 
my soul in thy precious blood. 

Let thy passion and death stand between my soul 
and thy justice. 

sweet comforter of desolate and distressed souls ! 
let me then experience the multitude of thy tender 
mercies, when my soul shall be in conflict with the 
pangs of death. 

Be mindful of thy poor creature, whom thou hast 
redeemed with thy precious blood. 

Remember thou hast bought my soul at a dear rate : 
oh! let not thy precious blood be shed for me in 
vain ! 

Thou hast promised to save all who invoke thy 
name with faith and confidence : I now invoke thy 
sacred name, Jesus ! with my whole heart ; and 
with all possible respect and devotion, I supplicate 
thee to have mercy on my soul at the moment of its 
departure from this world, and admit it to life ever- 
lasting. 

my divine Jesus ! grant me grace to unite my 



DEVOTIONS FOR THE SICK. 



657 



sufferings with thine ; may my agony and death be 
sanctified by thine ; and may I participate in the 
sacred dispositions of thy holy soul, in thy last mo- 
ments : to these dispositions I now unite myself with 
my whole heart, to supply what will be wanting in 
me. I abandon myself entirely to thee, O my Jesus ! 
Thy will, not mine, be done : thy will be done on 
earth, as it is in heaven. 

Lord Jesus, I beseech thee by thy sufferings on the 
cross, especially at the hour when thy blessed soul 
left thy sacred body, to have mercy on my soul at the 
time of its departure. 

Call me to thyself, and receive me into the number 
of thy elect, that I may praise thee eternally. Our 
Father, #*c. 

I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ. 
Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. 

Sweet Jesus ! receive my soul . 

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the 
Holy Ghost, grc. 

PREPARATION FOR THE HOLY VIATICUM. 

JESUS Christ, my divine Saviour, is about to give him- 
self to me as my Viaticum. ineffable love of my 
God and Saviour, thus to visit me in sickness ! In becom- 
ing man, thou didst visit all mankind in order to save 
them; in coming to me as my Viaticum, it is thy design 
to consummate the work of my salvation. This great 
work was commenced by Baptism ; it was still farther 
advanced by Confirmation, and by all the Communions 
which I have made during my life : now thou comest to 
finish it by the Holy Viaticum. Inconceivable goodness ! 
A God comes to his creature ! the Holy of holies to a sin- 
ner ! He, who is all, to a mere nothing ! 

Ah ! Lord, what is man that thou art mindful of him; or 
the so?i of man that thou visitest him ? 

But, why does our Lord and Saviour come to us as our 
Viaticum in sickness? He comes to console us in our 
dejection, our weariness, our despondency ; to be our 
companion and guide in the long and perilous journey to 



658 



DEVOTIONS FOR THE SICK. 



eternity; to present us to his Father, and plead the cause 
of our eternal salvation. In dying, we leave all that we 
hold dearest in the world ; now, this is not done without 
much natural repugnance : therefore Jesus Christ comes 
to us, to be the support and consolation of our hearts. 

In dying, we pass from time to eternity ; in this journey, 
we go alone, and by an unknown way : therefore Jesus 
Christ comes to accompany us, in this frightful solitude, 
this difficult and dangerous journey. 

In dying, we go to appear before the tribunal of divine 
justice ; and because we are burdened with sins, and des- 
titute of virtues, Jesus Christ comes to wash away our sins 
in his blood, and to impart his grace to our souls. 

Admirable goodness ! when all things fail us, our Jesus 
comes to be all things to us. When every one abandons 
us, and must leave us alone, our Jesus comes to be himself 
our companion and guide : and when the affair of our 
eternal salvation is to be concluded, he washes us with 
his blood, and applies to us the merits of his death and 
passion. 

Truly we may say with the well-beloved disciple, St. 
John : Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved 
them to the end. 

MY Saviour, thou hast loved me much : my whole 
life has been one continued series of graces ; 
and because thou hast loved me much, thou lovest me 
to the end — to my death, when thou art my helper, 
my support and my consolation. 

Thou lovest me even after my death ; thou wilt 
then be my advocate with thy Father. 

O unspeakable goodness of Jesus, my Saviour! 
inflame my heart, with the fire of thy own divine 
charity, that I may desire ardently to receive thee; 
and that I may truly say, w r hat thou didst deign to say 
in the institution of this adorable Sacrament : With 
desire I have desired to receive thee. O my Saviour ! 
I have an extreme desire to receive thee, as my Viati- 
cum. With St. John, I invite thee to come : Come, 
Lord Jesus. Yes, my Saviour, I desire thee with 
ardor. Come, come, Jesus, come ! be a Saviour to 
me ; come, and finish the work of my salvation. 



DEVOTIONS FOR THE SICK. 



659 



A PRAYER BEFORE RECEIVING THE HOLY VIATICUM. 

SACRED Viaticum, light of the blind, support of 
the weak, aliment of the strong, consolation of 
the dying, precious pledge of immortality, faithful and 
charitable guide, come to me, and conduct me safely 
to the delightful and eternal abode, which thou hast, 
through love and mercy, prepared for me, which thou 
hast merited for me by thy sufferings and by the 
effusion of thy blood. Come, God of light! come 
to my mind, and dissipate its darkness. Come to my 
soul, God of sanctity ! and replenish it with those 
graces, which flow, in abundance, from thy adorable 
flesh and precious blood. Come to my heart, God 
of charity ! and inflame it with that ardor which is 
hidden with thee in this adorable Sacrament, the fur- 
nace of sacred love. Come to my body, God of 
all purity! to purify and sanctify this sinful flesh. 

I accept, with an entire submission, death, which I 
have deserved ; but I would wish thee to receive as a 
sacrifice of love, what I am obliged to pay thy justice, 
as a debt contracted by my sins. I wish to die, be- 
cause I have deserved death ; I wish to die, that I 
may be indissolubly united to thee ; but, above all, I 
wish to die, because such is thy will. Strike then, 
my Lord and my God, when it shall please thee, pro- 
vided thou thyself dost prepare me. It is with these 
dispositions, my God and Saviour ! that I desire to 
receive thee. Come, my Jesus, come ; my whole soul 
desires thee. Come, and teach me to die well, that I 
may live for ever with thee in heaven. 

Here you may recite the hymn : 

Jesus, Saviour of my soul, 
Let me to thy refuge fly, &e. 

A PRAYER AFTER RECEIVING THE HOLY VIATICUM. 

NOW, my God and Saviour, thou art mine ; thou 
thyself art my Viaticum. Glory and thanksgiv- 



660 



DEVOTIONS FOR THE SICK. 



ing be to thee, Jesus ! who in thy sweetness has 
been pleased to visit my poor soul. Now, that thou 
art come to me, I will never let thee go. Nothing, O 
my Jesus ! nothing shall ever separate me from thee. 
I desire to be dissolved, and to be with thee ; for thou art 
my life, and to die will be my gain. Now I will fear 
no evils, though I walk in the midst of the shadow of 
death, for thou, O Lord, art with me. Thou hast come 
to be the companion of my soul in its journey to eter- 
nity. Thou sanctifiest, for the last time, my poor 
body, and puttest the seal of immortality upon it. 
Thy glorified body, my Jesus, is applied to the body 
of thy poor creature ; thy very blood is running through 
my veins, and leaving everywhere the pledge and germ 
of a new life. 

This divine Viaticum, which I have received, is my 
God, my Saviour, who himself has said : lam the way, 
the truth, and the life. O adorable and sacred Viati- 
cum ! thou art the way that conductest me, the truth 
that enlightenest me, and the life that deliverest me 
from spiritual and eternal death. my God and Sa- 
viour! divine Viaticum ! how truly thou art to me, the 
way, the truth, and the life ! 

What have I now to fear ! Being thus armed and 
fortified, I need not dread the most formidable enemies 
I may have to encounter, since I possess, in the sacred 
Viaticum, the Lord of Hosts, who himself combats in 
me and for me. Lord, in thee have I trusted, let me 
never be confounded. 

Here recite the hymn : 

Oh ! what could my Jesus do more, 
Or what greater blessing impart, &c. 

ON THE SACRAMENT OF EXTREME UNC- 
TION. 

THE Council of Trent declares the end and design of 
the sacrament of Extreme Unction in these words : 
" Our most merciful Redeemer, who desired that his ser- 

i . 



DEVOTIONS FOR THE SICK. 



661 



vants should at all times be provided with wholesome 
remedies against the darts of their enemies — as in the 
other sacraments he gives Christians the greatest helps, to 
enable them to pass their lives in a Christian manner, free 
from any grievous spiritual detriment — so he hath fortified 
the latter end of our lives with the most powerful protec- 
tion of the sacrament of Extreme Unction. For, though 
our adversary seeks and seizes, during our whole lives, 
every possible occasion of ruining our souls, yet there is no 
time" wherein he more vehemently exerts all his strength 
and art to ruin us entirely, and destroy, if possible, our 
confidence in the mercy of God, than when he sees the 
last moments of life approaching." 

This sacrament is explained at large in all its parts, and 
commanded to be used by St. James in these clear and ex- 
press terms : "Is any man sick among you ? let Mm bring 
in the priests of the Church, and let them pray over him, an- 
ointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer 
of faith shall save the sick man, and the Lord shall raise him 
up: and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him." The 
effect of this sacrament will easily appear from what has 
been said : it cleanses the soul from the remains of sin, 
that is, from that anxiety and disturbance of mind, that 
fear and disquiet, that tepidity and sloth of spirit, which, 
in some degree, sin always leaves in the soul, and which, 
when a person is in danger of death, often produces very 
bad consequences. Hence, it calms the mind, and renders 
the sick person composed and resigned to the will of God, 
giving him great courage and confidence in the divine 
mercy. It washes away the guilt of venial sins, which 
may lurk in the soul. It also cleanses the soul even from 
the guilt of mortal sin, in certain circumstances, w T here the 
sick person cannot have recourse to the sacrament of pen- 
ance. But, when the sacrament of penance can be re- 
ceived, it must always be applied to for the remission of 
mortal sin ; in dying persons, however, it may sometimes 
happen that this cannot be done. It strengthens the sick 
person to bear with more Christian patience, all the pains 
and sufferings of his sickness : it fortifies the soul against 
all the assaults of Satan in her last moments ; and it con- 
tributes to restore health to the body, if expedient for the 
soul. 

To receive this sacrament with full fruit, the sick person 
should have cleansed his soul from the guilt of mortal sin, 

56 



662 



DEVOTIONS FOR THE SICK. 



by a previous use of the sacrament of penance, when this 
can be done. If he be conscious of being in the state of 
sin, but cannot confess, being deprived of the use of speech, 
for example, though in his senses, he must have a sincere 
internal sorrow and repentance for these sins, with a de- 
sire to confess, if he could do so. As repentance is abso- 
lutely required for the remission of every sin, great or 
small, he ought therefore to have a sincere repentance for 
all his sins in general, whether great or small, known or 
unknown. He ought, also, to have a great and firm confi- 
dence in the mercy of God, and the merits of Christ, that 
by this sacrament he will be enabled to die the death of 
the just, and find favor with God. He should join his 
earnest prayers with those of the Church, while the sacra- 
ment is being administered to him : for, this is a sacrament 
of prayer : And the prayer of faith shall save the sick man. 

The following is intended as an immediate preparation 
for receiving the sacrament of Extreme Unction : 

By the unction of Baptism, our senses, our body, and 
our whole being were consecrated to God, to show that 
we were wholly his, and that we ought to live only for 
him : but alas ! how many times have we offended our 
good God by our senses, and our whole being I 

Jesus Christ, our divine Saviour, seeing our senses pro- 
faned by the bad use we have made of them : seeing our 
souls, either guilty, or at least indebted to the divine jus- 
tice, and consequently not in a condition to appear before 
God, and to be united to him, comes to purify us again in 
his own blood. He comes to fill us with his graces, to 
enrich us with the infinite treasures which he acquired for 
us by his passion and death. 

BY Baptism we were washed in thy blood, Jesus ! 
and received the first grace, the principle of a 
spiritual life ; by Extreme Unction, in which we are 
anointed in thy blood, thou givest the plenitude of 
thy grace, and consummatest in us this spiritual and 
divine life. 

O loving Redeemer ! at the time thou wast institut- 
ing thy admirable sacraments, thou didst think of each 
one of us, and destined for each one, the graces which 
were to be received through them, as through so many 
channels, by which thy blood would flow to us. 



DEVOTIONS FOR THE SICK. 



663 



During the administration of this Sacrament, let us con- 
sider Jesus Christ in the person of the priest ; and as often 
as he says : By this holy unction, <J-c, let us behold Jesus 
Christ pouring his blood upon us. If our faith is lively, 
we shall see the precious blood of our Jesus really applied 
to our souls : and our acts of love and contrition will be 
most sincere and heartfelt. 

A PRAYER BEFORE EXTREME UNCTION. 

THOU hast mercifully provided remedies, Lord ! 
for all our necessities ; grant me thy grace so to 
make use of them, that my soul may receive all those 
good effects which thou hadst in view in their insti- 
tution. 

Now I desire to be anointed as thou hast commanded 
by thy Apostle : grant, I beseech thee, that by this 
holy unction, and by the prayers of the Church, 1 may 
partake of that spirit, with which Christ suffered on 
the cross for thy glory, and for the d-estruction of sin. 
Give me true patience to support all the pains, weari- 
ness and disgust which I may still have to endure ; 
give me inward strength to resist all the temptations 
of the enemy ; give me that true light by which I may 
be conducted, through the shadow of death to eternal 
happiness. If thou foreseest that my health will be 
conducive to thy greater glory, and expedient for my 
eternal salvation, let this be the means to restore it. 
Dispose of me as thou thinkest best ; all I desire, is 
the accomplishment of thy will ; give health or sick- 
ness, life or death; not my will, but thine be done: 
it is a greater happiness to fulfil thy adorable will, 
than to enjoy ten thousand lives. How happy should 
I be, if the destruction of my body could repair the 
injuries I have offered to thy divine majesty ! My 
eyes, alas ! have seen vanities ; my ears have been 
open to sinful and unprofitable discourses ; my tongue 
has many ways offended in speaking and tasting ; my 
hands have contributed to innumerable follies ; my 
feet have gone astray in the paths of iniquity. By 



664 



DEVOTIONS FOR THE SICK. 



this holy unction and by the prayers of thy holy 
Church, pardon me, Jesus ! all the sins I have 
committed by the gratification of my senses. Let 
those avenues, through which sin has made its way 
into my soul, be now closed to the world ; let my 
eyes be open to thee alone : my ears attentive to thy 
sacred w^ord ; my tongue solely employed in solicit- 
ing mercy. Let my prayers ascend like incense in 
thy sight; let my hands be lifted up to heaven for 
pardon ; may my feet walk in thy ways, and my heart 
be the living temple of the Holy Ghost. Into thy 
hands, dear Jesus ! I commend my spirit. In thee 
I will live ; in thee I will die ; in thee I hope to pos- 
sess eternal rest for ever and ever. Amen. 

A PRAYER AFTER EXTREME UNCTION. 

OMY Jesus ! thou hast, with thy own blood, puri- 
fied and sanctified my whole being: for this, and 
all other blessings, I offer thee the pure and perfect 
thanksgiving thou receivest from thy Blessed Mother 
and all the Saints. I do not desire to be freed from 
my pains ; thou knowest what is best for me : give 
me patience to suffer whatever thou pleasest, and as 
long as thou pleasest. If it be thy divine will to in- 
flict on my weak body still greater punishments than 
those I now endure, my heart is ready, Lord ! my 
heart is ready to accept them, and suffer in whatever 
manner shall be conformable to thy holy will. This 
one grace I most earnestly beg of thee, my God, that 
I may die the death of thy elect, and be admitted, after 
the sufferings and tribulations of this transitory life, 
into the kingdom of thy glory, there to see, praise and 
love thee for all eternity. Amen, most compassionate 
and most bountiful Jesus, Amrn. 

SENTIMENTS OF PIETY AFTER EXTREME UNCTION. 

AFTER Extreme Unction has been administered, 
a crucifix is left with the sick to signify to them 



DEVOTIONS FOR THE SICK. 665 

that Jesus Christ is their only good for time and eter- 
nity ; and that in him alone they ought to seek conso- 
lation, and put all their hope. Cast your eyes upon 
your crucifix, and then turn them upon yourself : you 
are purified and sanctified in the adorable blood of 
this crucified God, applied to you by this sacrament. 
Praise and thank your Blessed Saviour ; be consoled 
and hope in Jesus Christ. 

Praise and thank the eternal Father, in, and through 
Jesus Christ, for all his graces, saying with the holy 
Apostle St. Paul : Blessed be God and the Father of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with spiritual 
blessings in Christ, 

He chose us in him before the foundation of the 
word, and predestined us unto the adoption of chil- 
dren, by baptism, through Jesus Christ, to whom he 
has united us : and he has made us members of his 
body, that we should be holy and sanctified in his sight. 

By the sacrament of penance I have been washed in 
the blood of his well-beloved Son, that I might become 
agreeable to his divine Majesty, through this Son, 
whose blood redeemed me. 

By the holy Viaticum and the sacrament of Extreme 
Unction, he has shed upon me abundantly the treasures 
of his grace. 

May he be blessed for ever for all his graces to me. 
Praise and thanksgiving be to the eternal Father who 
has given me his only and w r ell-beloved Son, to be my 
Saviour. In giving us this dear Son, what has he not 
given us ] Praise and thanksgiving be to Jesus Christ, 
the only Son of God, who, through an excess of love 
for me, has redeemed me at the price of his blood ; 
who has applied to me this adorable blood and all its 
merits, by the sacraments which he instituted for this 
intent. 

Being washed in this blood, and nourished by it, 
how great should be my hope ! 

Praise and thanksgiving be to the Holy Ghost, who 
56* 



666 



DEVOTIONS FOR THE SICK. 



was given to me in Baptism and Confirmation, as the 
seal of the divine adoption, and, in the sacraments of 
Penance and Extreme Unction, as the earnest of my 
heavenly and eternal inheritance. Possessing the Holy 
Spirit as the pledge of a blissful eternity, what should 
be my peace and security ! Bless the Lord, my soul: 
and let all that is within me praise his holy name. 

Bless the Lord, my soul, and never forget all he 
hath done for thee. 

Who forgiveth all thy iniquities : who healeth all thy 
diseases: who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who 
crowneth thee with mercy and compassion. 

Bless the Lord all ye his Angels : you, that are mighty 
in strength, and execute his word, hearkening to the 
voice of his orders. 

Bless the Lord, all ye his hosts : you ministers of his, 
that do his will. 

Bless the Lord, all his works : in every place of his 
dominion, my soul, bless thou the Lord. 

How replete with consolation is the thought, that 
you are purified in the blood of a Man-God, by the 
application of his merits through the sacraments ! 

If the remembrance of your sins should come to 
trouble you, think of the consoling words, which St. 
John addressed to the faithful : We have an advocate 
with the Father, Jesus Christ the Just ; and he is the 
victim of propitiation for our sins, and not only for our 
sins, but also for those of the whole world. 

The blood of a Man-God is of an infinite value; it 
is consequently not only sufficient to expiate the sins 
of the whole world, but of an infinity of worlds. 

I am purified and sanctified in the blood of this 
Man-God, in this blood of infinite value. I have, 
moreover, for an advocate with the eternal Father, 
him who is the Just one by excellence ; who having 
no need of asking mercy for himself, employs all his 
credit, and all his merits in our behalf. I hope then 
with confidence, in the infinite merits of this Victim, 



DEVOTIONS FOR THE SICK. 



667 



sacrificed for my sins, and in the powerful mediation 
of this Just one by excellence, who asks grace and 
mercy for me. Fear not to exhaust his merits ; they 
aie inexhaustible : have unlimited confidence in his 
blood, the value of which is infinite. 

Place all your hope in Jesus Christ, and say with 
St. Paul : Since God has not spared his own Son, but 
delivered him up to death for me ; and since again he 
has given me this same Son, to be my Viaticum, my 
guide, my protector, my advocate and my Saviour, 
what can he refuse me, after giving me his only Son ? 
With him, will he not give me all things] pardon, 
reconciliation, and the glory which he has merited for 
me? Who will accuse me, at the judgment seat of 
God, since it is God himself who justifies me ] Who 
will condemn me? Will it be Jesus Christ] Very far 
from it, he has died for the expiation of my sins ; he 
has risen for my justification ; he is seated at the right 
hand of God, to intercede for me. Dwell on these di- 
vine words of St. Paul ; they will fill the soul with 
confidence. 

Thrte things may alarm us, at the hour of death, 
and cause us to apprehend the judgments of God : our 
sins, our accusers and our judge. 

Against the fears which you may experience on ac- 
count of the number and enormity of your sins, call 
to mind this consoling truth : God has not spared his 
own Son, but has delivered him up to death for my 
sins : is there any sin, then, which he will refuse to 
pardon ] 

Against the fear of your accusers, oppose the re- 
membrance of this consoling truth : It is God himself 
who justifies me, who then will accuse me] 

Against the excessive fear of the severity of the 
judge: Who will condemn me? will it be Jesus Christ? 
Very far from it : he died for me, and rose for my jus- 
tification ; he is seated at the right hand of God, to 
intercede for me. 



668 



THE LAST BENEDICTION. 



Everywhere Jesus Christ asks mercy for me. In 
the crib, he weeps for my sins ; during his whole life, 
he labors to expiate them ; on the cross, he is the vic- 
tim of propitiation for my iniquities ; in heaven, he is 
an advocate who pleads my cause, and he is still a 
victim of propitiation asking for me the application of 
his blood. Unite your voice to the voice of the blood 
of Jesus Christ; through him, and with him, pray and 
hope for mercy. Have mercy on me, Lord, have 
mercy on me, for my soul trusteth in thee. 

— ♦ — 

ON THE LAST BENEDICTION. 

Some considerations to dispose the soul to receive with full 
benefit the Last Benediction, to which is attached a Plenary 
Indulgence. 

OUR good God has indeed been a God of mercy to you ! 
At your entrance into the world, your soul was puri- 
fied from the stain of original sin, in the blood of your 
Jesus ; — you were made a child of God, and an heir of 
heaven. Alas ! no sooner were you capable of sinning, 
than you defiled your dear-bought robe of innocence, for- 
feited your title of child of God, and your claims to your 
heavenly inheritance. Again, your rights and privileges 
were restored ; but again and again you were ungrateful : 
you offended a thousand times ; and as often were you 
pressed by his love and mercy to return, and be again pu- 
rified in the same redeeming blood. You have been brought 
up, as it were, in the bosom of mercy; your whole life, 
through every revolving day and hour, has been a con- 
tinual succession of mercies. And now that you are so 
near your entrance into eternity, your good God, with a 
solicitude more affectionate than that of the tenderest mo- 
ther, is still watching over you ; he calls upon you to re- 
ceive this Last Benediction, this Plenary Indulgence, that 
you may appear before him pure and spotless. Renew, 
then, with your whole heart, your acts of sorrow for all 
the sins of your past life, and your acts of perfect resigna- 
tion to suffer, as long as it may please your good God, all 



THE LAST BENEDICTION. 



669 



the inconveniences and pains of sickness, and death itself, 
in satisfaction for the punishment you have deserved by 
your sins. With these dispositions you may entertain a 
lively confidence, that from the liberality of the divine 
bounty, you will obtain the remission of all the punish- 
ment due to your sins. Yes, firmly hope that this applica- 
tion of the superabundant merits of Jesus Christ will can- 
cel your whole debt of temporal punishment, and that you 
will pass from the arms of death into the arms of your Sa- 
viour and God. 

The principal prayers said by the Priest, immediately be- 
fore giving the Last Benediction, and the formula of the 
Benediction, are as follows : 

LET US PRAY. 

MOST merciful God, Father of mercies, and God 
of all consolation, who wishest. no one to perish, 
that believeth and hopeth in thee ; according to the 
multitude of thy mercies, look propitiously upon thy 
servant, iV., whose true faith and Christian hope com- 
mend him [her] to thy favor. Visit him [her] in thy 
salvation, and by the passion and death of thy only 
begotten Son, mercifully grant him [her] the remis- 
sion and pardon of all his [her] sins, that his [her] 
soul at the hour of its departure may find thee a favor- 
able judge, and being washed from every stain in the 
blood of thy same Son, may deserve to pass into eter- 
nal life : Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. 
\Here the Confiteor is recited by one of the assistants ; 
the Priest says, Misereatur, etc., and continues:'] May 
our Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who, in 
his most affectionate mercy, gave to the blessed Peter, 
his Apostle, the power of binding and loosing, receive 
thy confession and restore to thee the first stole, which 
thou didst receive in Baptism: and I, by the power 
imparted to me by the Apostolic See, grant to thee the 
full indulgence and remission of all thy sins, in the 
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 
Ghost. Amen, 



670 UNION WITH THE PASSION OF OUR LORD. 

By the most sacred mysteries of man's redemption, 
may Almighty God remit to thee all the punishment 
of the present and future life, open to thee the gates 
of Paradise, and lead thee to eternal joys. Amen, 

May the Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy 
Ghost, bless thee. Amen. 



UNION WITH THE PASSION OF OUR LORD, FOR 
THE TIME OF OUR AGONY. 

OMY Saviour ! to ease the agony I must endure, 
thou didst suffer a mortal agony thyself. At this 
moment, my soul is sorrowful unto death ; let then 
the sadness and sorrow of thy agony sanctify mine. 
Oh ! let the sweat of blood, which came from thy 
adorable body, sanctify my sweat of death ! Support 
and comfort me, thy poor child, and grant me a speedy 
deliverance from this agony ; but thy will, not mine, 
be done. 

my Saviour ! Saviour of the greatest sinners ! 
thou receivedst with kindness the kiss of Judas, call- 
edst him friend, at the moment he betrayed thee ; thou 
didst look with compassion on St. Peter, who denied 
thee, and didst call for pardon on the Jews who cru- 
cified thee. Oh ! then, my Saviour ! pardon me ; par- 
don my sins of malice like those of Judas, my sins of 
weakness like that of St. Peter, and my sins of igno- 
rance like those of the Jews. Thou ceasest not to be 
the Saviour, the Friend of sinners, the Lamb of God, 
who takest away the sins of the world : give me then 
the kiss of peace, which Judas did not profit by ; the 
look of mercy, which converted St. Peter ; and grant 
me the pardon thou invokedst on thy murderers. 

My Saviour and my God ! do not leave me, I am 
in the fire of tribulation. I have no consolation, no 
help, no salvation but in thee. Remember thou didst 



FOR THE TIME OF OUR AGONY. 



671 



suffer to save me ; apply to me, at this moment, which 
is to decide my eternal lot, the merits of the blood 
thou didst shed for me, that all my sins may be 
blotted out. Let thy humiliations repair my sins of 
pride ; thy blows and wounds my hateful sensualities ; 
thy obedience unto death, my disobedience and revolts. 
O my Saviour ! say to me, thy poor sinful child trust- 
ing in thy mercy, wmat thou didst say to the sinner 
converted at thy side : This day, thou shall be with me 
in Paradise, Let me hide in thy wounds and take 
shelter in thy heart. In this trying hour, say to thy 
Mother for me : Behold thy child. My Jesus, my 
God, into thy hands I commend my spirit. 

PRAYERS TO BE RECITED BY THE ASSISTANTS, WHEN 
A DYING PERSON LOSES THE USE OF SPEECH. 

LORD Jesus Christ, we beseech thee, by thy bitter 
agony and prayer in the garden, that thou wouldst 
be pleased to be an advocate with thy eternal Father, 
in behalf of this thy servant. Lay before him all those 
drops of blood, which, in thy anguish of spirit, flowed 
from thy body, and offer them for the remission of all 
his [her] sins ; that, in this hour of extremity, he 
[she] may be discharged from that handwriting of sin 
which stands against him [her] , and from that punish- 
ment which he [she] fears to be too justly due to his 
[her] sins. 
Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &e. 

~T ORD Jesus Christ, who, for our salvation, w r ast 
JLi pleased to suffer death on the cross ; we beseech 
thee to offer up all the anguish and pains w T hich thou 
didst then endure, and most especially at the hour of 
thy death, in behalf of this thy servant, that they may 
be accepted in his [her] favor, for the good of his 
[her] soul, for the obtaining of a happy hour, and for 
the release from that punishment which he [she] has 
deserved for his [her] sins. 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. 



672 UNION WITH THE PASSION OF OUR LORD 

LORD Jesus Christ, who hadst so boundless a love 
for man, that it induced thee to become man for 
our salvation ; we beseech thee to let this thy infinite 
charity and goodness towards mankind, so plead with 
thy eternal Father in behalf of this thy poor servant, 
that, by thy powerful mediation, his [her] soul, at the 
moment of its departure from the body, being freed 
from the bonds of sin, may find a free admittance 
through the gate that leads to the mansions of eternal 
bliss. 

Our Father, &c. Hail Mary, &c. 

LORD Jesus Christ, who by thy precious blood 
hast redeemed us ; we beseech thee to imprint 
deeply on the soul of this thy servant the memory of 
thy most sacred wounds, that having them perpetually 
in his [her] sight, he [she] may be encouraged to 
suffer with patience and resolution, and be armed 
against all the pangs of death. Thus let him [her] 
cheerfully submit to all the difficulties of his [her] 
condition, and begin, even here, to be united to thee 
with a love that shall never end. 

Grant him [her] now to partake of the fruit of thy 
holy incarnation, of thy bitter passion, of thy glorious 
resurrection and admirable ascension. 

Grant that he [she] may be sensible of the effects 
of thy holy mysteries and sacraments, and of all the 
prayers which are offered to thee by the whole Church. 

REMEMBER, O Lord ! that thou wast once in the 
straits of death ; that in this extremity, after cry- 
ing out to thy eternal Father, and commending thy 
spirit to him, thou didst expire. Behold now this thy 
servant in his [her] anguish crying aloud to thee : 
stand thou by him [her], defend and comfort him 
[her] in this his [her] distress, and receive his [her] 
soul into thy merciful embraces. 

REMEMBER, Jesus! that thy arms were 
stretched forth, thy side opened, and thy sacred 



FOR THE TIME OF OUR AGONY. 



673 



head bowed down on the cross "; have regard now, we 
beseech thee, to the soul of this thy servant, which, 
departing out of this world, seeks refuge in thee ; re- 
ceive it into thy arms, clasp it to thy breast, and there 
let it hide itself, secure from the attacks of all its ene- 
mies, till the anger of God pass over. Into thy hands 
we commend his [her] spirit, which has been created 
and redeemed by thee; despise not, we beseech thee, 
the work of thy hands. 

CHRIST JESUS, who wast crucified for our 
redemption ! we beseech thee, by that love 
which brought thee from heaven, to have compassion 
on the soul of this thy servant ; forgive him [her] 
all his [her] sins, and by the merits of thy bitter 
passion, satisfy for all his [her] failings, and supply 
his [her] defects. Lord, let him [her] now experi- 
ence the multitude of thy tender mercies, and be sen- 
sible of thy infinite goodness. Dispose his [her] soul 
by thy grace, that she may be prepared at thy call to 
go forth to meet thee her heavenly bridegroom ; grant 
him [her] , we beseech thee, true patience and perfect 
resignation in his [her] pains and anguish; give him 
[her] a full discharge from all his [her] sins ; confirm 
his [her] faith ; strengthen his [her] hope, and per- 
fect his [her] charity, that, departing hence, his [her] 
soul may be received into thy mercy. dear Re- 
deemer ! by that distress which thou didst suffer on 
the cross, when thou criedst out to thy eternal Fa- 
ther, we pray thee to show mercy to this thy servant,, 
in his [her] extremity: hear the sighs and desires of 
his [her] heart; and since he [she] is now deprived 
of the faculty of speech, speak thou for him [her], we 
beseech thee, who art the eternal Word, and to whom 
the Father will refuse nothing. 

BY thy victory over death, and the infinite merits 
of thy passion, we beseech thee, in behalf of this 
thy servant, to have thoughts of peace, mercy and 



674 



THE RECOMMENDATION 



comfort, and not those of affliction. Bear him [her] 
up against all distrust and despair, deliver him [her] 
from his [her] necessities, and be his [her] comforter 
in his [her] distress. Let those hands, which were 
once nailed to the cross, now plead for him [her], and 
obtaining his [her] pardon, conduct him [her] into thy 
eternal rest. Amen. 



THE RECOMMENDATION OF A SOUL DEPARTING. 

LORD, have mercy on us. 
Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Holy Mary, pray for him [her] . 
All ye holy Angels and Archangels, 
Holy Abel, 

All ye choirs of the just, 
Holy Abraham, 
St. John the Baptist, 
St. Joseph, 

All ye patriarchs and prophets, 
St. Peter, 
St. Paul, 
St. Andrew, 
St. John, 

All ye holy Apostles and Evangelists, 
All ye holy Disciples of our Lord, 
All ye holy Innocents, 
St. Stephen, 
St. Lawrence, 
All ye holy martyrs, 
St. Sylvester, 
St. Gregory, 
St. Augustine, 

All ye holy bishops and confessors, 
St. Benedict, 
St. Francis, 



*0 



sr 



OF A SOUL DEPARTING. 



675 



All ye holy monks and hermits, pray for him [her]. 
St. Mary Magdalen, pray, &c. 
St. Lucy, pray, &c. 

All ye holy virgins and widows, pray, &c. 
All ye Saints of God, make intercession for him 
[her]. 

Be merciful, spare him [her], Lord ! 
Be merciful, deliver him [her], Lord ! 
Be merciful, receive him [her], Lord ! 
From thy anger, deliver him [her], Lord! 
From the danger of death, deliver him [her], 
Lord ! 

From an ill end, deliver him [her], Lord ! 
From the pains of hell, deliver him [her], Lord ! 
From all evil, deliver him [her], Lord ! 
From the power of the devil, deliver him [her] , 
Lord ! 

Through thy nativity, deliver him [her] , Lord ! 
Through thy cross and passion, deliver him [her] , 
Lord ! 

Through thy death and burial, deliver him [her], O 
Lord! 

Through thy glorious resurrection, deliver him 
[her], Lord! 

Through thy admirable ascension, deliver him 
[her], Lord! 

Through the grace of the Holy Ghost, the Com- 
forter, deliver him [her], Lord ! 

In the day of judgment, deliver him [her], Lord ! 

We sinners, beseech thee to hear us. 

That thou spare him [her], we beseech thee to 
hear us. 

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 



676 



THE RECOMMENDATION 



LET US PRAY. 

DEPART, Christian soul, out of this miserable 
world, in the name of God the Father Almighty, 
who created thee ; in the name of Jesus Christ, the 
Son of the living God, who suffered for thee ; in the 
name of the Holy Ghost, who sanctified thee; in the 
name of the Angels, Archangels, Thrones, Domina- 
tions, Cherubim and Seraphim ; in the name of the 
patriarchs and prophets, of the holy apostles and 
evangelists, of the holy martyrs and confessors, of the 
holy monks and hermits, of the holy virgins and of all 
the Saints of God ; let thy place be this day in peace, 
and thy abode in holy Sion : Through Christ our 
Lord. Amen. 

GOD of clemency, God of goodness ! God ! 
who, according to the multitude of thy mercies, 
forgivest the sins of such as repent, and graciously 
remittest the guilt of their past offences ; mercifully 
regard this thy servant, N., and grant him [her] a full 
discharge from all his [her] sins, who most earnestly 
begs it of thee. Renew, most merciful Father ! 
whatever is corrupt in him [her] through human 
frailty, or by the snares of the enemy ; make him 
[her] a true member of the Church, and let him [her] 
partake of the fruit of thy redemption. Have com- 
passion, Lord ! on his [her] tears, and admit him 
[her] to the sacrament of thy reconciliation, who has 
no hope but in thee : Through Christ our Lord. 
Amen. 

y RECOMMEND thee, dear brother [sister], to 
1 Almighty God, and commit thee to his mercy, 
whose creature thou art; that having paid the common 
debt by surrendering thy soul , thou mayest return to 
thy Maker, who formed thee out of the earth. May, 
therefore, the noble company of Angels meet thy soul 
at its departure ; may the court of the Apostles receive 
thee ; may the triumphant army of glorious martyrs 



OF A SOUL DEPARTING. 



677 



conduct thee; may the crowd of joyful confessors 
encompass thee ; may the choir of blessed virgins go 
before thee ; and may a happy rest be thy portion in 
the company of the patriarchs. May Jesus -Christ 
appear to thee with a mild and cheerful countenance, 
and give thee a place among those who are to be in his 
presence for ever. Mayest thou be a stranger to all 
who are condemned to darkness, chastised with flames, 
and punished with torments. May God command thy 
wicked enemy with all his evil spirits, to depart from 
thee. At thy approach, encompassed by Angels, may 
the infernal spirits tremble and retire into the horrid 
confusion of eternal night. May thy God arise, and 
thy enemies be put to flight. May all who hate him, 
fly before his face : let them vanish like smoke; or as 
wax before the fire, so let sinners perish in the sight 
of God. But as to the just, let them rejoice and be 
happy in his presence. May all the ministers of hell 
be rilled with confusion and shame, and let no evil 
spirit dare to stop thy course to heaven. May Christ 
Jesus, who was crucified for thee, deliver thee from 
torments ; may he deliver thee from eternal death, who 
for thy sake vouchsafed to die. May Christ Jesus, 
the Son of the living God, place thee in his garden 
of paradise ; and may he, the true Shepherd, own thee 
for one of his flock. M?y he absolve thee from all 
thy sins, and place thee at his right hand, in the in- 
heritance of his elect. Oh ! may it be thy happy lot 
to behold thy Redeemer face to face ; to be ever in his 
presence, in the beatific vision of that Eternal Truth, 
which is the joy of the blessed. And thus placed 
among those happy spirits, mayest thou be for ever 
filled with heavenly sweetness. Amen. 

Receive thy servant, Lord ! into that place, 
where he [she] may hope for salvation from thy 
mercy. Amen, 

Deliver, Lord ! the soul of thy servant from all the 
dangers of hell, and from all pain and tribulation. Amen. 

57* 



678 



THE RECOMMENDATION 



Deliver, Lord ! the soul of thy servant, as thou 
delivered st Enoch and Elias from the common death 
of the world. Amen. 

Deliver, Lord ! the soul of thy servant, as thou 
deliveredst Noah in the flood. Amen. 

Deliver, O Lord ! the soul of thy servant, as thou 
deliveredst Abraham from the midst of the Chaldeans. 
Amen. 

Deliver, Lord ! the soul of thy servant, as thou 
deliveredst Job from all his afflictions. Amen. 

Deliver, Lord ! the soul of thy servant, as thou 
deliveredst Isaac from being sacrificed by his father. 
Amen. 

Deliver, Lord ! the soul of thy servant, as thou 
deliveredst Lot from Sodom, and the flames of fire. 
Amen. 

Deliver, O Lord ! the soul of thy servant, as thou 
deliveredst Moses from the hands of Pharaoh, king of 
Egypt. Amen. 

Deliver, Lord ! the soul of thy servant, as thou 
deliveredst Daniel from the lions' den. Amen. 

Deliver, Lord ! the soul of thy servant, as thou 
deliveredst the three children from the fiery furnace, 
and from the hands of an unmerciful king. Amen. 

Deliver, Lord ! the soul of thy servant, as thou 
deliveredst Susanna from her false accusers. Amen, 

Deliver, Lord ! the soul of thy servant, as thou 
deliveredst David from the hands of Saul and Goliah. 
Amen. 

Deliver, Lord ! the soul of thy servant, as thou 
deliveredst Peter and Paul out of prison. Amen. 

And, as thou deliveredst that blessed virgin and 
martyr, St. Thecla, from most cruel torments, so 
vouchsafe to deliver the soul of this thy servant, and 
bring it to the participation of thy heavenly joys. 
Amen. 



OF A SOUL DEPARTING. 



679 



LET US PRAY. 

E commend to thee, O Lord, the soul of this 
thy servant, and beseech thee, Jesus Christ, 
Redeemer of the world ! that, as in thy mercy to him 
[her], thou becamest man, so now thou wouldst 
vouchsafe to admit him [her] into the number of the 
blessed. Remember, Lord ! that he [she] is thy 
creature, not made by strange gods, but by thee, the 
only true and living God ; for there is no other God 
but thee, and none can work thy wonders. Let his 
[her] soul find comfort in thy sight, and remember 
not his [her] former sins, nor any of those excesses 
which he [she] has fallen into, through the violence 
of passion and corruption. For although he [she] has 
sinned, yet he [she] has still retained a true faith in 
thee, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost ; he [she] has had 
a zeal for thy honor, and faithfully adored thee, his 
[her] God, and the Creator of all things. 

EMEMBER not, Lord! the sins and igno- 
rances of his [her] youth ; but according to thy 
great mercy, be mindful of him [her] in thy eternal 
glory. Let the heavens be opened to him [her], 
and let the Angels rejoice with him [her]. May 
St. Michael, the Archangel, the chief of the hea- 
venly host, conduct him [her] ; may blessed Peter, 
the Apostle, to whom were given the keys of the king- 
dom of heaven, receive him [her] ; may holy Paul, 
the Apostle, and chosen vessel of election, assist him 
[her] ; may St. John, the beloved disciple, to whom 
tne secrets of heaven were revealed, intercede for him 
[her] ; may all the holy Apostles, to whom was given 
the power of binding and loosing, pray for him [her]; 
may all the chosen servants and blessed martyrs of 
God, who, in this world, have suffered torments for 
the sake of Christ, intercede for him [her] ; that, 
being delivered from this body of corruption, he [she] 
may be admitted into the kingdom of heaven : Through 





680 



THE RECOMMENDATION, &C 



the assistance and merits of our Lord Jesus Christ 
who liveth and reigneth with the Father and the Holy 
Ghost, world without end. Amen. 

If the sick person continues in distress of agony, it may 
be proper for the assistants to continue in prayer, repeating 
the preceding prayers, or saying the Penitential Psalms. 

When the soul has departed, the following Responsory is 
to be said : 

COME to his [her] assistance, all ye Saints of 
God; meet him [her], all ye Angels of God; 
receive his [her] soul, and present it now before its 
Lord. May Jesus Christ receive him [her], and the 
Angels conduct him [her] to his [her] place of rest; 
may they receive his [her] soul, and present it now 
before its Lord. 

Eternal rest grant him [her] , Lord ! and let 
perpetual light shine upon him [her]. May the An- 
gels present him [her] now before the Lord. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Our Father, &c. 

y . And lead us not into temptation. 

R. But deliver us from evil. 

y . Eternal rest grant him [her], Lord ! 

R. And let perpetual light shine upon him [her]. 

y . From the gates of hell, 

R. Deliver his [her] soul, Lord ! 

"y . May he [she] rest in peace. 

R. Amen. 

y . O Lord, hear my prayer ; 

R. And let my cry come unto thee. 

LET US PRAY. 

TO thee, Lord, we recommend the soul of thy 
servant iV., that being dead to this world, he [she] 
may live to thee ; and whatever sins he [she] has 



THANKSGIVING UPON RECOVERY. 681 



committed through human frailty, we heseech thee, in 
thy goodness, mercifully to pardon : Through Christ 
our Lord. Amen, 

TIIEN THE FOLLOWING PRAYER FOR THE ASSIST- 
ANTS MAY BE ADDED. 

GRANT, Lord ! that, while we here lament the 
departure of thy servant, we may ever remember, 
that we are most certainly to follow him [her] . Give 
us grace to prepare for that last hour, by a good life, 
that we may not be surprised by a sudden death ; but 
be ever watching when thou shalt call, that so with 
the Spouse, we may enter into eternal glory : Through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

— + — 

A PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING, 

UPON THE RECOVERY OF A PERSON FROM SICK- 
NESS. 

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, I here acknow- 
ledge thy blessing in the recovery of my health, 
and return thee my most hearty thanks for it. I beg 
thy grace, to enable me to make a better use of it than 
I have hitherto done ; to correct all the errors of my 
past life, that I may improve in virtue, be an example 
to others, and consecrate that health to thee, which is 
now thy special gift ; that thus living to thee, I may 
be ever prepared for my last hour : Through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Bless the Lord, O my soul ! may he be praised and 
glorified for ever. 

Bless the Lord, my soul ! and forget not all his 
benefits. 

Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers : let praise 
and glory be given to him for ever. 



682 



MASS FOR THE DEAD. 



I will praise thee, my God ! while I live : I will 
glorify thy holy name, while I have my being. 

Oh ! magnify the Lord with me, all ye holy Angels : 
praise him, all ye Saints. 

I will bless the Lord at all times ; his praise shall 
be ever in my mouth. 

Give glory to Lie Lord, for he is good, for his 
mercy endureth for ever. 

Blessed be the name of the Lord, from henceforth, 
now and for ever. 

From the rising of the sun unto the going down of 
the same, the name of the Lord is worthy of praise. 

Glory be to the Father, &c. 

— ♦ — 

MASS FOR THE DEAD. 

A PRAYER BEFORE MASS. 

ETERNAL God ! who, besides the general pre- 
cepts of charity, hast commanded a particular 
respect to be shown to parents, kindred, and benefac- 
tors, and by the institution of the Sacrifice of the Mass, 
has left us the means of testifying our love and grati- 
tude towards them even after death, vouchsafe that the 
mass I this day offer in union with thy minister, for 
the souls of N. and N., may shorten their sufferings, 
if they be still detained in the purifying flames of pur- 
gatory. 

As there may be many of my friends, relatives, or 
ancestors, tormented in these intense flames, who were 
the instruments of thy Providence, in bestowing on 
me existence, education, and innumerable other bless- 
ings, grant that I may be the means of obtaining for 
them a speedy release from their excessive sufferings, 
and a free admittance to thy eternal joys: through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen, 



MASS FOR THE DEAD. 



683 



AT THE BEGINNING OF MASS. 

ALMIGHTY God ! with whom the spirits of 
the just live, and in whose holy custody are de- 
posited the souls of all that depart hence in an inferior 
degree of grace, and are therefore detained in a state 
of suffering ; as we bless thee for the saints already 
admitted into thy glory, so we humbly offer up our 
prayers for the afflicted souls who continually sigh 
after the day of their deliverance. 

If among them be the souls of those for whom we 
this day petition, vouchsafe to pardon their sins, that 
they may behold thee, and in thy glorious light eter- 
nally rejoice : Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Introit. Psalm lxiv. 

GRANT them, Lord, eternal rest, and let per- 
petual light shine on them. Ps. A hymn be- 
cometh thee, Lord, in Sion, and a vow shall be 
paid thee in Jerusalem : hear my prayer, all flesh shall 
come to thee. Grant them, &c. to Ps. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 

Collect. 

OGOD ! the Creatoi and Redeemer of all the 
faithful, give to the souls of thy servants de- 
parted the remission of all their sins ; that through the 
help of pious supplications, they may obtain the par- 
don they have always desired. Who livest, &c. 

Lesson. Rev. xiv 13. 

IN those days : I heard a voice from heaven, saying 
to me: Write: Blessed are the dead, who die in 
the Lord. From henceforth now, saith the Spirit, 
that they may Test from their labors : for their works 
follow them. 



Each repeated three 
times. 



684 



MASS FOR THE DEAD. 



Gradual, 

ETERNAL rest grant to them, and may perpetual 
light shine on them. Ps. cxi. The just shall 
be in everlasting remembrance ; he shall not fear the 
evil hearing. 



Trad. 

RELEASE, Lord ! the souls of all the faithful 
departed, from the bonds of their sins. y. And 
by the assistance of thy grace, may they escape the 
sentence of condemnation. W. And enjoy the bliss 
of eternal light. 



The Sequence 

THE day of wrath, that 
dreadful day, 
Shall the whole world in 

ashes lay, 
As David and the Sybil say. 

What horror must invade 
the mind, 

When the approaching 
Judge shall find 

Few venial faults in all man- 
kind. 

The last loud trumpet's 

wond'rous sound 
Shall through the rending 

tombs rebound, 
And wake the nations under 

ground. 

Nature and death shall 
with surprise 
Behold the trembling sinner 
rise, 

To view his Judge with con- 
scious eyes. 



for the Dead. 
J^IES irae, dies ilia, 

Solvet sseclum in favilla : 

Teste David cum Sybilla. 
Quantus tremor est futurus, 

Quando Judex est venturus, 

Cuncta stricte discussurus ! 

Tuba mirum spargens so- 
num 

Per sepulchra regionum, 
Coget omnes ante thronum, 

Mors stupebit, et natura, 
Cum resurget creatura, 
Judicanti responsura. 



MASS FOR 

Then shall, with universal 
fear, 

The seven-sealed judgment 

book appear, 
To scan the whole of life's 

career. 

The Judge ascends his 

awful throne, 
Each secret sin shall here be 

known. 
All must with shame confess 

their own. 
Ah, wretched ! what shall 

I then say, 
What patron find, my fears 

t' allay, 

When even the just shall 
dread that day ? 
Thou mighty, formidable 
King! 

Of mercy unexhausted 
spring ! 

Save me ! save ! and com- 
fort bring. 
Remember what my ran- 
som cost ; 

Let not my dear-bought soul 
be lost, 

In storms of guilty terrors 
. tost. 

In search of me why feel 

such pain ; 
Why on thy cross such 

pangs sustain, 
If now those sufferings must 

be vain ? 

Avenging Judge, whom 
all obey, 
Cancel my debt, too great to 
pay, 

Before the sad accounting 
day. 



THE DEAD. 685 

Liber scrip tus proferetur, 
In quo totum continetur, 
L T nde mundus judicetur. 

Judex ergo cum sedebit, 
Quidquid latet, apparebit : 
Nil inultum remanebit. 

Quid sum, miser ! tunc dic- 
turus, 

Quern patronum rogaturus, 
Cum vix justus sit securus ? 

Rex tremendas majestatis ! 
Qui salvandos salvas gratis, 
Salva me, fons pietatis. 

Recordare, Jesu pie, 
Quod sum causa tuae viae, 
Ise me perdas ilia die. 

Qucerens me, sedisti lassus : 
Redemisti, crucem passus : 
Tantus labor non sit cassus. 

Juste Judex ultionis, 
Donum fac remissionis 
Ante diem rationis. 



686 MASS FOR 

O'erwhelmed, oppressed 
with doubts and fears, 

Their load my soul in an- 
guish bears : 

I sigh, I weep — accept my 
tears. 

Thou, whowert moved at 
Mary's grief, 
Who didst absolve the dying 
thief, 

Dost bid me hope, O grant 
relief. 

Reject not my unworthy 
prayer, 
Preserve me from the dan- 
gerous snare, 
Which death and gaping hell 
prepare. 
Give my immortal soul a 
place 

Among thy chosen right- 
hand race, 

The sons of God and heirs 
of grace. 
From that insatiate abyss, 

Where flames devour and 
serpents hiss, 

Deliver me, and raise to bliss. 
Prostrate my contrite 
heart I rend, 

My God, my Father, and 
my friend, 

Do not forsake me in the 
end. 

Well may they curse their 
second birth, 
Who rise to a surviving 
death. 

Thou great Creator of man- 
kind, 

Let all thy faithful mercy 
find. Amen. 



'HE DEAD. 

Ingemisco tanquam reus :' 
Culpa rubet vultus meus : 
Supplicanti parce, Deus. 
Qui Mariam absolvisti, 
Et latronem exaudisti, 
Mihi quoque spem dedisti. 
Preces meae non sunt dignas 
Sed tu bonus fac benigne, 
Ne perenni cremer igne. 
Inter oves locum praesta, 
Et ab haedis me sequestra, 
Statuens in parte dextra. 

Confutatis maledictis, 
Fiammis acribus addictis, 

Voca me cum benedictis. 
Oro supplex et acclinis, 

Cor contritum quasi cinis. 
Gere curam rnei finis. 
Lacrymosa dies ilia ! 

Qua resurget ex favilla 
Judicandus homo reus. 
Huic ergo parce Deus : 

Pie Jesu Domine, dona eis 
requiem. Amen. 



MASS FOR THE DEAD. 



687 



Gospel. John vi 51, 55. 
T that time: Jesus said to the multitude of the 
Jews : I am the living bread, which came down 
from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall 
live for ever : and the bread that I will give is my 
flesh for the life of the world. The Jews therefore 
strove among themselves, saying: How can this man 
give us his flesh to eat ] Then Jesus said to them : 
Amen, Amen, I say unto you, except you eat the flesh 
of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, you shall not 
have life in you. He that eateth my flesh and drink - 
eth my blood, hath everlasting life : and I w T ill raise 
him up in the last day. 

Offertory, 

LORD Jesus Christ, King of Glory! deliver the 
souls of all the faithful departed from the flames 
of hell,* and from the deep pit. Deliver them from the 
lion's mouth, lest hell swallow them, lest they fall into 
darkness ; and let the standard-bearer, St. Michael, 
bring them into the holy light. * Which thou pro- 
misedst of old to Abraham and his posterity. V. We 
offer thee, O Lord, a 'sacrifice of praise and prayers: 
accept them on behalf of the souls we commemorate 
this day, and let them pass from death to life. * Which 
thou, &c, to V. 

AT THE OBLATION AND SUBSEQUENT PRAYERS. 

OGOD ! what victim can better appease thy jus- 
tice, than that which we are going to offer in this 
unbloody renewal of the sacrifice of the cross 1 As 
that divine oblation disarmed the wrath, and induced 
thee to revoke the sentence of condemnation pro- 
nounced against mankind, so mercifully grant, that 
this adorable sacrifice may atone for the sins and im- 
perfections of those souls for whom it is offered ; that 
being released from the flames by which they are sur- 
rounded, they may be received into thy kingdom, and 




688 



MASS FOR THE DEAD. 



through the passion and death of our divine Redeemer, 
pass into eternal joys. 

O all-bountiful Jesus ! who art the propitiation for 
the living and the dead, what thanks are due to thee 
for having left us this divine sacrifice, and for having 
thus rendered it available to the souls of the faithful 
departed ; mercifully grant, that they for whom it is 
offered this day, being released from suffering, may 
shortly prove powerful advocates for us in heaven, 
who now intercede for them on earth. Amen. 

Psalm cxxix paraphrased, 
ROM the depths have I cried to thee, Lord, Lord 
hear my voice. — Sensible of my own nothingness 
and unworthiness, I raise my voice to thee, King 
of glory, and entreat thee to listen favorably to the 
prayer of thy servant. 

Let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my petition. — 
Despise not the work of thy hands, reject not the 
humble efforts of thy unworthy servant on behalf of 
those suffering souls who now burn with the most in- 
flamed desire of being united to thee. 

If thou wilt observe iniquities, Lord, Lord who will 
sustain it ? — If thou wilt consider the multitude of my 
offences ; if thou wilt view me in the terror of thy 
justice, I must flee from this altar, and, instead of try- 
ing to plead the cause of others, endeavor to hide my- 
self from thy wrath. 

For with thee there is merciful forgiveness, and by 
reason of thy law I have waited for thee, Lord. — Let 
thy mercy, God, interpose now between me and 
thy justice, and having purified my soul in the blood 
of the spotless victim now offered for the living and 
the dead, may my prayers find a gracious acceptance 
in thy sight. 

My soul hath relied on his word, my soul hath hoped 
in the Lord. — Covered with the precious merits of my 
divine Saviour, and sheltering myself under the stan- 




MASS FOR THE DEAD. 



689 



dard of the cross, the source of all our hope, I claim 
the release of those suffering souls who know that 
their Redeemer liveth, and whose only hope rests on 
his sacred passion and death. 

From the morning watch even until night, let Israel 
hope in the Lord. — Night and day shall I continue my 
supplications, O God of Israel : be not deaf to my 
cries, and reject not the voice of my mourning. 

Because with the Lord there is mercy, and with him 
plentiful redemption. — Let that mercy, my God, 
w T hich thou del igh test to exercise, be applied to those 
whose greatest torment is the absence of thy sweet 
and adorable presence. Jesus Christ, a willing vic- 
tim on this new Calvary, pleads powerfully for the 
perfect remission of every stain that now separates 
them from thee. 

And, he will redeem Israel from all its iniquities. — Je- 
sus Christ the just, now become an object of male- 
diction for the sins of his people, claims for those de- 
parted objects of our solicitude that gracious pardon 
announced by the prophet to repentant Israel ; his sa- 
cred merits we presume to offer in atonement for the 
residue of human frailty. 

Secret. 

LOOK down favorably, we beseech thee, Lord ! 
on the sacrifice we offer for the souls of thy ser- 
vants : that as thou wast pleased to bestow on them 
the merit of Christian faith, thou wouldst also grant 
them its abundant reward. Through, &c 

AT THE PREFACE. 

TT is truly meet and charitable, it is a holy and 
_l_ wholesome thought, that we address thee, Lord 
God omnipotent! on behalf of those who have de- 
parted this life, that thou wouldst grant them a place 
of rest and eternal happiness. O Jesus ! who, dying 
for mankind, arose again glorious and immortal from 
the dead ; who ascended into heaven, triumphed over 

5S* 



690 



MASS FOR THE DEAD. 



death, and led captivity captive ; who art to descend 
again in great power and majesty to judge the living 
and the dead, — we humbly address thee in favor of 
the souls recommended this day to thy mercy : give 
them a share in those eternal joys which the eye hath 
not seen, the ear hath not heard, nor hath it entered the 
heart of man to conceive, (1 Cor. xi 9.) There, amidst 
the elect and celestial choirs, let them proclaim, Holy, 
Holy, Holy, is the Lord God of Sabaoth ; the hea- 
vens and the earth are full of thy glory. Hosanna to 
him who is on high. Blessed is he who cometh in 
the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. 

o 

AT THE CANON. 

~¥YTE recommend to thee, Lord ! the souls of 
Y y thy servants N. N. ; and as, in mercy to them, 
thou didst become man, so now vouchsafe to admit 
them into the number of the blessed. Remember, O 
Lord ! that the souls for whom we pray are thy crea- 
tures, not made by strange gods, but by thee, the only 
true and living God, for there is no other God but 
thee — none that can work wonders like unto thine. 

Let their souls find comfort and mercy in thy sight, 
and remember not their former sins, nor any of those 
faults they may have fallen into through human 
frailty, or the violence of temptation; for, though 
they sinned, they still retained a true faith in thee, O 
holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and a 
lively zeal for thy honor : they faithfully adored, and 
died in favor with thee, divine Lord, as well as in 
peace and charity with all mankind. 

Remember not, Lord ! we beseech thee, the sins 
and ignorance of their youth ; but, according to thy 
great mercy, be mindful of them in thy glory. May 
the heavens be now opened to receive them. May 
the Archangel St. Michael, chief of the heavenly 
host, conduct them. May the holy Angels of God 
meet and accompany them into the city of the hea- 



MASS FOR THE DEAD. 



691 



venly Jerusalem. May blessed Peter the Apostle, to 
whom were given the keys of the kingdom of heaven, 
receive them. May holy Paul the Apostle, who was 
a vessel of election, help them. May St. John, the 
beloved Disciple, to whom God revealed the secrets 
of heaven, intercede for them. May all the holy 
Apostles, to whom was given the power of binding 
and loosing, pray for them. May all the blessed and 
chosen servants of God intercede for them, that, being 
delivered from present confinement and suffering, they 
may be admitted into the kingdom of heaven, through 
the assistance and merits of our Lord and Saviour 
Jesus Christ. Who livest, &c. 

And now, all-powerful God ! at this awful moment, 
when, by the words of consecration, thy divine Son 
is actually present, I offer up to thee this same be- 
loved Son, who died for mankind. I humbly entreat 
thee, through the infinite merits of his death, to show 
compassion and mercy to the souls for whose repose 
the holy sacrifice is this day offered. 

AT THE ELEVATION OF THE HOST. 

TIT AIL ! most blessed Jesus ! eternal Son of the 
ll Most High God ! O deign to be merciful to 
those for whom we pray. Thou who didst expire on 
the cross for their sakes, give rest to their souls. To 
whom shall we apply, but to thee ] Thou hast the 
words of eternal life, by which thou canst shorten 
their sufferings, and give them eternal rest. 

AT THE ELEVATION OF THE CHALICE. 

XT" AIL ! sacred blood ! that flowed for the sins of 
JLjL the world : wash away whatever stains may 
render thy servants unfit to be admitted into heaven. 
good and merciful God ! look on the face of thy 
Christ, in whom thou art always well pleased, and 
permit the souls for which he suffered to rest eternally 
in thy divine presence. 



692 



MASS FOR THE DEAD. 



AFTER THE ELEVATION. 

LORD Jesus Christ ! we earnestly entreat thee, by 
thy bitter agony and prayer in the garden, to be- 
come an advocate with thy eternal Father, on behalf 
of thy servants N. JS r . Lay before him, we conjure 
thee, all those drops of blood which, in thy anguish 
of spirit, flowed from thy sacred body, and offer them 
as a sacrifice of atonement, that thereby the souls of 
iV. N. may be discharged from all the punishment still 
inflicted by divine justice on the guilt of sin. 

Lord Jesus ! who wast pleased to suffer death on 
the cross for the redemption of mankind, we humbly 
beseech thee to offer up all that anguish and pain 
which thou didst endure, especially at the moment of 
thy death, on behalf of thy servants, that thy precious 
merits may be accepted for the repose of their souls, 
as superabundant atonement for that punishment which 
may still remain due for sin. 

Lord Jesus Christ, who so loved us as to become 
man for our salvation, we beseech thee to represent to 
the Eternal Father thy infinite charity and goodness 
on behalf of thy servants, N. JY". ; plead their cause, 
that by such powerful mediation they may be freed 
from unspeakable pains, and find the gates of life open 
to receive them. 

O Lord, grant them to partake now of the fruits of 
thy holy incarnation, of thy bitter passion, of thy 
glorious resurrection, and admirable ascension : grant 
that they may be sensible of the effects of this holy 
sacrifice, and of all the prayers which are offered to 
thee by the whole Church. Remember, O compas- 
sionate Jesus ! that thy sacred arms were stretched 
forth on the cross ; that in the excess of thy torments, 
thou didst cry out to thy eternal Father, commending 
thy 'spirit to him; have compassion now, we beseech 
thee, on the souls of thy servants N. iV r ., who in a 
state of suffering expect relief from thee ; receive them 



MASS FOR THE DEAD. 



693 



into thy arms ; give them shelter in thy adorable heart 
from all molestation till the anger of God pass over. 
Into thy hands we commend their spirits ; despise not, 
we beseech thee, those souls, which are the work of 
thy hands, created and redeemed by thee. O divine 
Jesus ! vouchsafe to look on them with eyes of mercy 
and compassion ; and grant them comfort, peace and 
eternal rest. 

By that love which brought thee from heaven, and 
by the infinite merits of thy death, have compassion 
on the souls of thy servants iV. W. ; satisfy for all 
their sins, failings and defects ; let them now experi- 
ence the multitude of thy tender mercies ; make them 
sensible of the excess of thy goodness ; and since they 
can do nothing to mitigate the pains of purgatory, 
speak thou for them, we beseech thee ; thou, who art 
the eternal Word, and to whom the Father can refuse 
nothing. 

Repeat the Lord's Prater with the Priest, after which say: 
/~\ DIVINE Lord ! whose adorable heart ardently 
\J sighs for the happiness of thy banished children, 
we humbly beseech thee to remember the souls of thy 
servants for whom we pray ; command them, we con- 
jure thee, to be received by thy holy angels, and con- 
veyed to the abodes of rest and peace. Amen, 

AT THE AGNUS DEI. 

LAMB of God, who takest away the sins of the 
world, grant them rest. Lamb of God, who 
takest away the sins of the world, grant them rest. 
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, 
grant them everlasting rest. 

FROM THE AGNUS DEI TO THE COMMUNION. 

ETERNAL God ! behold here on this altar, as 
was once on the cross, thy dear and only Son, 
the beloved object of thy complacency. Behold this 



694 



MASS FOR THE DEAD. 



adorable Victim, who, to appease thy anger, sacrifices 
his own precious body and blood ; that body, which 
was torn with stripes, and covered with wounds ; and 
that blood, which was shed to wash away the sins of 
the world. He immolates himself with the same ex- 
cess of mercy and love, as he did on Mount Calvary. 
O let not this sacred blood be shed in vain, but grant 
that its infinite merits may be applied to the souls of 
thy suffering servants, and give them admittance to 
thy presence, that they may bless and praise thee for 
ever and ever. Ah, my God ! thou knowest that the 
flames which surround them are not more active than 
their ardent desire to behold thee. 

When shall these souls be united to thee, God 1 
When shall they see thee in the land of the living 1 
Till then, they sigh and bewail their banishment, de- 
siring continually to enjoy thy divine presence — to 
be admitted into thy eternal kingdom. Alas ! while 
myriads of blessed spirits see, love and enjoy thee in- 
cessantly ; while they are inebriated with the plenty 
of thy house, the souls of these thy servants are per- 
haps burning in flames, plunged in darkness, and far 
removed from the light of heaven. ! thou, who art 
infinite in mercy ! be not deaf to my supplications for 
their speedy relief. O blessed Angels and Saints ! 
vouchsafe to join me in making intercession for N. iV., 
and obtain for them admittance into your happy so- 
ciety. As the hart pants after the fountain of living 
waters, so do these souls thirst after thee, God ! the 
inexhaustible source of eternal and ineffable joys. 
Thou knowest the longing sighs of these suffering 
souls, O infinitely bountiful and compassionate Fa- 
ther ! and thou alone canst terminate their banish- 
ment. Thou cast open that spring of living water, 
for which they so ardently thirst; thou canst fill their 
hungry souls with good things, and bestow on them 
the inheritance purchased by the blood of a dying Sa- 
viour. Draw aside, then, the veil which hides thy 



MASS FOR THE DEAD. 



695 



amiable countenance; for what do these souls desire, 
but to contemplate, praise and love thee, their Sove- 
reign Good, for all eternity. 

AT THE COMMUNION. 

T" MOST ardently desire, O my adorable Saviour, 
I that thou would st honor this day the dwelling of 
my heart by thy divine presence. With what confi- 
dence could I then implore rest and eternal peace for 
the suffering souls of purgatory whom thou lovest, 
though thy justice forces thee to banish them for a 
time from their heavenly inheritance. Look, never- 
theless, O merciful Redeemer, on the work of thy 
hands ; hasten the happy hour of their deliverance, 
and grant that, partaking spiritually of the merits of 
thy august sacrifice, I may submissively accept, and 
patiently bear all that is disagreeable and painful to 
inclination, and thus avert a long separation from thee 
after the close of my mortal life. Amen, 

POSTCOMMTJNION. 

RANT, we beseech thee, Lord ! that our hum- 
VX ble prayers on behalf of the souls of thy servants, 
both men and women, may be profitable to them ; so 
that thou mayest deliver them from all the punish- 
ment due to their sins, and make them partakers of 
the redemption thou hast purchased for them. Who 
livest, &c. 

After Dominus vobiscum, the Priest says. May they 
rest in peace. R. Amen. 

AT THE LAST GOSPEL. 

"l\/f~AY now the bright company of angels meet your 
JLyJL souls, departed servants of the Lord ; may 
the crowd of apostles receive you ; may the triumph- 
ant army of glorious martyrs conduct you; and may 
a happy rest be your portion in the company of the 
patriarchs. May Jesus Christ appear to you with a 



696 



MASS FOR THE DEAD. 



mild and cheerful countenance, and give you a place 
among those who are to be in his presence for ever. 

May your God arise, and put your enemies to flight. 
Let them vanish like smoke, and as wax before the 
fire, so let them perish. May all the reprobate of hell 
be filled with confusion and shame ; but let the just 
and elect rejoice and be happy in the presence of God, 
and may you be of that blessed number. May Christ 
Jesus himself rescue you from torments, who lovingly 
died for you. May the eternal Son of the living God 
place you in his garden of Paradise, and may he, the 
true Shepherd, own you for those of his flock ; may 
he liberate you from confinement, and place you at his 
right hand in the inheritance of his elect. We pray 
that it may be your happy lot to behold your Re- 
deemer face to face ; to be for ever in his presence, in 
the vision of that truth which is the joy of the blessed ; 
and thus placed among those happy spirits, may you be 
for ever replenished with heavenly sweetness. Amen, 

A PRAYER AFTER MASS. 

,4 XD now, God ! having recommended to thy 
f\ mercy the souls of thy departed servants, grant 
we may ever remember that we are most certainly to 
follow them. Give us grace to prepare for our last 
hour by a good life, that so death, however sudden it 
may be, may not find us unworthy of admittance into 
eternal glory. Open likewise the eyes, and soften the 
heaTts of those who have the misfortune of being at 
variance with thee ; inspire them, we humbly beseech 
thee, with a true sense of their dreadful danger, that 
by a timely consideration of the uncertainty of life, 
and the certainty of death, they may be sincerely con- 
verted, and obtaining pardon for their sins in this life, 
be happy with thee for ever in the next. Amen. 



THE BURIAL SERVICE FOR ADULTS. 



Before the corpse is removed from the house, the priest 
sprinkles it with holy water, then says the following: 



Ant. Si iniquitates. 

PSALMUS 129. 

DE profundis clamavi 
ad te, Domine : * Do- 
mine exaudi vocem meam. 

Fiant aures tuae inten- 
dentes, * in vocern depre- 
cationis meae. 

Si iniquitates observa- 
veris, Domine : * Domine, 
quis sustinebit] 

Quia apud te propitiatio 
est : * et propter legem tu- 
am sustinui te, Domine. 



Sustinuit anima mea in 
verbo ejus : * speravit ani- 
ma mea in Domino. 

A custodia matutina 
usque ad noctem : * spe- 
ret Israel in Domino. 

Quia apud Dominum 
misericordia : * et copiosa 
apud eum redemptio. 

Et ipse redimet Israel, 
* ex omnibus iniquitatibus 
ejus. 

Requiem aeternam * do- 
na ei Domine. 



Ant. If thou, O Lord, 
wilt mark iniquities. 

Psalm 129. 
|^\UT of the depths I 
have cried to thee, 
Lord: Lord, hear my voice. 

Let thy ears be atten- 
tive to the voice of my 
supplication. 

If thou, Lord, wilt 
mark iniquities \ Lord, 
who shall stand it ] 

For with thee there is 
merciful forgiveness : and 
by reason of thy law, I 
have waited for thee, O 
Lord. 

My soul hath relied on 
his word : my soul hath 
hoped in the Lord. 

From the morning watch 
even until night : let Israel 
hope in the Lord. 

Because with the Lord 
there is mercy : and with 
him plentiful redemption. 

And he shall redeem 
Israel from ail his iniqui- 
ties. 

Eternal rest give unto 
him (or her), Lord. 

59 697 



693 



BURIAL SERVICE FOR ADULTS. 



Et lux perpetua * luceat And let a perpetual light 

ei. shine upon him. 

Ant. Si iniquitates ob- Ant. If thou. O Lord, 

servaveris Domine : f Do- wilt mark iniquities, Lord, 

mine quis sustinebit ] who shall stand it 1 

In going to the church, the priest says: 
Ant. Exultabunt. Ant. The bones. 



PSALMUS 50. 

ISERERE mei, 
Deus ; * secundum 
magnam misericordiam 
team. 

Et secundum multitu- 
dinem miserationum tua- 
rum : * dele iniquitatem 
meam. 

Amplius lava me ab 
iniquitate mea : * et a pec- 
cato meo munda me. 

Quoniam iniquitatem 
meam ep;o cognosco : * et 
peccatum meuin contra me 
est semper. 

Tibi soli peccavi, et 
malum coram te feci : * ut 
justificeris in sermonibus 
tuis, et vincas cum judi- 
caris. 



Ecce enim in iniquitati- 
bus conceptus sum : * et 
in peccatis concepit me 
mater mea. 

Ecce enim veritatem 
dilexisti : * incerta et oc- 



PSALM 50. 

TIT AVE mercy on me, 
JLL O God, according 
to thy great mercy. 

And accord in a- te the 
multitude of thy tender 
mercies, blot out my ini- 
quities. 

Wash me yet more from 
my iniquity; and cleanse 
me from my sin. 

For I know my iniquity, 
and my sin is always be- 
fore me. 

To thee only have I 
sinned, and have done evil 
before thee : that thou may- 
est be justified in thy 
words, and mayest over- 
come when thou art 
judged. 

For behold I was con- 
ceived in iniquities ; and 
in sin did my mother con- 
ceive me. 

For behold thou hast 
loved truth : the uncertain 



BURIAL SERVICE FOR ADULTS. 



699 



culta sapientiee tuae mani- 
festasti mihi. 

Asperges me hyssopo et 
mundabor : * lavabis me 
et super nivem dealbabor. 

Auditui meo dabis gau- 
dium et laetitiam : * et ex- 
ultabunt ossa humiliata. 



Averte faciem tuam a 
peccatis meis : * et omnes 
iniquitates meas dele. 

Cor mundum crea in 
me, Deus : * et spiritum 
rectum innova in visceri- 
bus meis. 

Ne projicias me a facie 
tua : # et spiritum sanctum 
tuum ne auferas a me. 

Redde mihi laetitiam 
saiutaris tui : # et spiritu 
principali confirma me. 

Docebo iniquos vias 
tuas : * et impii ad te con- 
vertentur. 

Libera me de sangui- 
neus, Deus, Deus salutis 
meae : * et exultabit lingua 
mea justitiam tuam. 

Domine, labia mea ape- 
ries : * et os meum annun- 
tiabit laud em tuam. 

Quoniam si voluisses 



and hidden things of thy 
wisdom thou hast made 
manifest to me 

Thou shalt sprinkle me 
with hyssop, and I shall be 
cleansed : thou shalt wash 
me, and I shall be made 
whiter than snow. 

To my hearing thou 
shalt give joy and glad- 
ness; and the bones that 
have been humbled shall 
rejoice. 

Turn away thy face 
from my sins, and blot out 
all my iniquities. 

Create a clean heart in 
me, O God : and renew 
a right spirit within my 
bowels. 

Cast me not away from 
thy face ; and take not thy 
holy spirit from me. 

Restore unto me the 
joy of thy salvation, and 
strengthen me with a per- 
fect spirit. 

I will teach the unjust 
thy ways : and the wicked 
shall be converted to thee. 

Deliver me from blood, 
God, thou God of my 
salvation : and my tongue 
shall extol thy justice. 

Lord, thou wilt open 
my lips: and my mouth 
shall declare thy praise. 

For if thou hadst de- 



700 



BURIAL SERVICE FOR ADULTS. 



sacrificium, dedissem 
utique : # holocaustis non 
delectaberis. 

Sacrificium Deo spiritus 
contribulatus : * cor con- 
tritum et humiliatum, De- 
us, non despicies. 

Benigne fac Domine in 
bona voluntate tua Sion : * 
ut aedificentur muri Jeru- 
salem. 

Tunc acceptabis sacrifi- 
cium justitiae, oblationes, 
et holocausta : * tunc im- 
ponent super altare tuum 
vitulos. 

Requiem aeternam, etc. 

Ant, Exultabunt Domi- 
no ossa humiliata. 



sired sacrifice, I would in- 
deed have given it : with 
burnt-offerings thou wilt 
not be delighted. 

A sacrifice to. God is an 
afflicted spirit; a contrite 
and humbled heart, God, 
thou wilt not despise. 

Deal favorably, O Lord, 
in thy good will with Sion, 
that the walls of Jerusalem 
may be built up. 

Then shalt thou accept 
the sacrifice of justice, ob- 
lations, and whole burnt- 
offerings ; then shalt they 
lay calves upon the altar. 

Eternal rest, &c. 

Ant, The bones that have 
been humbled, shall re- 
jqice in the Lord. 



At the entrance of the church, inside, the priest says. 



Subvenite Sancti Dei, 
occurrite Angeli Domi- 
ni, suscipientes animam 



ejus, 



Offerentes earn in 



conspectu Altissimi. 

ifr. Suscipiatte Christus 
qui vocavit te, et in sinum 
Abraham Angeli deducant 
te. 



R. Suscipientes animam 



ejus 



Offerentes earn in 



conspectu Altissimi. 



Come to his [her] as- 
sistance, ye saints of 
God ! meet him [her] ye 
angels of the Lord ! to re- 
ceive his [her] soul, and 
to present it to the Most 
High. 

Y. May Christ who 
called thee, receive thee; 
and may the Angels lead 
thee into the bosom of 
Abraham. 

R. To receive his [her] 
soul, and to present it to 
the Most High. 



BURIAL SERVICE FOR ADULTS. 701 



V* Requiem aeternam 
dona ei Domine, et lux 
perpetua luceat ei. 

Offerentes earn in con- 
spectu Altissimi. 



Eternal rest grant to 
him [her], Lord! and 
may perpetual light shine 
upon him [her]. 

And to present it to the 
Most High. 



The corpse having been deposited before the sanctuary, the 
feet turned towards the altar, if it is a lay person, but the 
head, towards the altar if it is a clergyman, and surrounded 
by lighted tapers, the office of the dead is said, and Mass cele- 
brated. After which, the priest says : 

NON intres in j udicium 
cum servo tuo Do- 



mine, quia nullus apud te 
justificabitur homo, nisi 
per te omnium peccatorum 
ei tribuatur remissio. Non 
ergo eum, qusesumus, tua 
judicialis sententia premat, 
quern tibi vera supplicatio 
fidei Christianae commen- 
dat: sed gratia tua illi 
succurrente, mereatur 
evadere judicium ultionis, 
qui d um viveret, insignitus 
est signaculo sanctae Tri- 
nitatis : qui vivis et regnas 
in saecula saeculorum. 



R. Amen. 

Libera me, Domine, de 
morte asterna, in die ilia 
tremenda : Quando cceli 



ENTER not into judg- 
ment with thy ser- 
vant, O Lord ! for no man 
shall be justified in thy 
sigfht, unless thou vouch- 
safe to grant him the re- 
mission of all his sins. 
Let not therefore, we be- 
seech thee, the sentence 
of thy judgment fall upon 
him [her], whom the true 
supplication of Christian 
faith recommendeth to 
thee : but by the assist- 
ance of thy grace, let him 
[her] escape the judgment 
of thy vengeance, who, 
whilst he [she] was liv- 
ing, was marked with the 
sign of the Holy Trinity : 
who livest and reignest 
for ever and ever. 
R. Amen. 

Deliver me, O Lord! 
from eternal death, at that 
dreadful day, when hea- 



59* 



702 BURIAL SERVICE FOR ADULTS. 



movendi sunt et terra: 
Dum veneris judicare sae- 
culum per ignem. 

"J$\ Tremens factus sum 
ego, et timeo, dum dis- 
cussio venerit, atque Ven- 
tura ira. Quando coeli 
movendi sunt, et terra. 

W. Dies ilia, dies irae, 
calamitatis et miseriae, dies 
magna, et amara valde : 
Dum veneris judicare sae- 
culum per ignem. 

"if. Requiem seternam 
dona ei Domine, et lux 
perpetua luceat ei. 

R. Libera me, usque ad 
primum version, 

Kyrie eleison. 

Christe eleison. 

Kyrie eleison. 
Pater noster, &c. 



ven and earth shall be 
moved ; when thou shalt 
come to judge the world 
by fire. 

I am struck with 
trembling, and I fear while 
the examination is coming, 
and the future wrath. 
When heaven and earth 
shall be moved. 

V. That day is a day 
of wrath, of calamity and 
of misery; a great and 
most bitter day ; when 
thou shalt come to judge 
the world by fire. 

y . Eternal rest grant to 
him [her], Lord! and 
may perpetual light, &c. 

R. Deliver me, Lord, 
&c., to the first y* 

Lord, have mercy on us. 

Christ, have mercy on 
us. 

Lord, have mercy on us. 
Our Father, &c. 



During the Our Father, the priest sprinkles the corpse 
with holy water, after which he incenses it. He then says: 

y, Et ne nos inducas y. And lead us not in- 

in tentationem. to temptation. 

R. Sed libera nos a R. But deliver us from 

rnalo. e\il. 

y* A porta inferi. y. From the gate of 

hell. 

R. Erue Domine ani- R. Deliver his [her] 

mam ejus. soul, Lord ! 



BURIAL SERVICE FOR ADULTS. 



703 



. Requiescat in pace. 
R. Amen. 

y\ Domine exaudi ora- 
tionem meam. 

R. Et clamor meus ad 
te veniat. 

ff. Dominusvobiscum. 

R. Et cum spiritu tuo. 

OREMUS. 

DEUS, cui proprium 
est misereri semper, 
et parcere : te supplices 
exoramus pro anima fa- 
muli tui N. quam hodie 
de hoc sseculo migrare jus- 
sisti : ut non tradas earn 
in manus inimici, neque 
obliviscaris in finem, sed 
jubeas earn a Sanctis An- 
gel is suscipi, et ad patriam 
paradisi perduci : ut quia 
in te speravit et credidit, 
non pcenas inferni susti- 
neat, sed gaudia aeterna 
possideat. Per Christum 
Dominum nostrum. 



TP. Let him [her] rest 
in peace. 
R. Amen. 

W. O Lord ! hear my 
prayer. 

R. And let my cry 
come to thee. 

t. The Lord be with 
you. 

R. And with thy spirit. 



o 



LET US PRAY. 

GOD ! whose pro- 
perty is always to 
show mercy, and to spare, 
we humbly beseech thee 
for the soul of thy servant 
N., which thou hast this 
day called out of this 
world, that thou wouldst 
not deliver it into the 
hands of the enemy, not 
forget it unto the end, but 
command it to be received 
by thy holy Angels, and 
to be led to Paradise, its 
true country; that, as it 
believed and hoped in 
thee, it may not suffer the 
pains of hell, but possess 
everlasting joys : through 
Christ our Lord. 
R. Amen. R. Amen. 

In going to the grave, the priest says: 
i In paradisum deducant May the Angels con- 
teAngeli: in tuo adventu duct thee into Paradise; 
suscipiant te Martyres, et may the Martyrs receive 
perducant te in civitatem thee at thy coming, and 



704 BURIAL SERVICE FOR ADULTS. 



sanctam Jerusalem. Cho 
rus Angelorum te susci 
piat, et cum Lazaro quon 
dam paupere aeternam ha 
beas requiem. 



bring thee to the holy city 
of Jerusalem ! may the 
choir of Angels receive 
thee, and mayest thou 
have eternal rest with the 
once poor Lazarus ! 
If the grave is not blessed, the priest blesses it, as follows: 

LET US PRAY. 



OREMUS. 

DEUS, cujus misera- 
tione animae fidelium 
requiescunt, hunc tumu- 
lum benedicere dignare, 
eique Angelum tuum sanc- 
tum deputa custodem ; et 
quorum quarumque cor- 
pora hie sepeliuntur, ani- 
mas eorum ab omnibus 
absolve vinculis delicto- 
rum, ut in te semper cum 
Sanctis tuis sine fine laeten- 
tur. Per Christum Domi- 



OGOD, by whose mer- 
cy the souls of the 
faithful find rest, deign to 
bless this grave, and send 
thy holy Angel to guard 
it; and loose from all the 
bonds of sin the souls of 
those whose bodies are 
here interred, that they 
may ever rejoice in thee 
with thy Saints : through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. 
R. Amen. 



nura nostrum. R. Amen. 

The priest then sprinkles the corpse and grave with holy 
water, and incenses them, after which the body is let down. 
He then says: 

Ant. Ego sum. Ant. I am the resurrec- 

tion and the life. 



CANTICUM ZACHARI^E. 

BENEDICTUSDomi- 
nus Deus Israel, * 
quia visitavit, et fecit re- 
demptionem plebis suae. 

Et erexit cornu salutis 
nobis, * in domo David 
pueri sui. 



CANTICLE OF ZACHARY. 

BLESSED be the Lord 
God of Israel, be- 
cause he hath visited, and 
wrought the redemption 
of his people ; 

And hath raised up a 
horn of salvation to us, in 
the house of David his 
servant. 



BURIAL SERVICE FOR ADULTS. 705 



Sicut locutus est per os 
sanctorum, * qui a saeculo 
sunt, prophetarum ejus. 

Salutem ex inimicis nos- 
tris, * et de manu omnium 
qui oderunt nos. 

Ad faciendam miseri- 
cordiam cum patribus nos- 
tris : * et memorari testa- 
menti sui sancti. 

Jusjurandum, quod ju- 
ravit ad Abraham patrem 
nostrum, * daturum se no- 
bis : 

Ut sine timore de manu 
inimicorum nostrorum, li- 
berati, * serviamus illi. 

In sanctitate et justitia 
coram ipso, * omnibus die- 
bus nostris. 

Et tu puer, Propheta 
Altissimi vocaberis : * prse- 
ibis enim ante faciem Do- 
mini parare vias ejus : 

Ad dandam scientiam 
salutis plebi ejus : * in re- 
missionem peccatorum eo- 
rum. 

Per viscera misericor- 
diae Dei nostri : * in qui- 
bus visitavit nos oriens ex 
alto: 

Illuminare his, qui in 
tenebris, et in umbra mor- 



As he spoke by the 
mouth of his holy Pro- 
phets, who are from the 
beginning : 

Salvation from our ene- 
mies, and from the hand 
of all who hate us. 

To perform mercy to 
our fathers, and to remem- 
ber his holy covenant : 

The oath, which he 
swore to Abraham our fa- 
ther, that he would grant 
to us ; 

That, being delivered 
from the hand of our ene- 
mies, we may serve him 
without fear, 

In holiness and justice 
before him all our days. 

And thou, child ! shalt 
be called the prophet of 
the Most High ; for thou 
shalt go before the face of 
the Lord to prepare his 
ways, 

To give knowledge of 
salvation to his people, 
unto the remission of their 
sins, 

Through the bowels of 
the mercy of our God: in 
which the Orient from on 
high hath visited us, 

To enlighten those who 
sit in darkness, and in the 



706 BURIAL SERVICE FOR ADULTS. 



tis sedent : * ad dirigen- 
dos pedes nostros in viam 
pacis. 

Requiem aetemam. 

Ant. Eg-o sum resurrec- 
tio et vita; qui credit in 
me, etiam si mortuus fue- 
rit, vivet: et omnis, qui 
vivit, et credit in me, non 
morietur in setemum. 

Kyrie eleison. 
Christe eleison. 

Kyrie eleison. 
Pater noster, etc. 

The priest sprinkles the 

V. Et ne nos inducas 
in tentationem. 

R. Sed libera nos a 
malo. 

TP, A porta inferi. 

R, Erue Domine ani- 
mam ejus. 

y. Requiescat in pace. 

R. Amen. 

y . Domine exaudi ora- 
tionem meam. 

R. Et clamor meus ad 
te veniat. 

y. Dominusvobiscum. 

R. Et cum spiritu tuo. 



shadow of death ; to di- 
rect our feet into the way 
of peace. m 

Eternal rest, &c. 

Ant. I am the resur- 
rection and the life ; he 
who believeth in me, al- 
though he be dead, shall 
live : and every one who 
liveth and believeth in me 
shall not die for ever. 

Lord, have mercy on us. 

Christ, have mercy on 
us. 

Lord, have mercy on us. 
Our Father, &c. 

corpse with holy water. 

y. And lead us not in- 
to temptation. 
. R. But deliver us from 
evil. 

W. From the gate of 
hell, 

R. Deliver his [her] 
soul, O Lord ! 

y. Let him [her] rest 
in peace. 

R. Amen. 

y. Lord! hear my 
prayer, 

R. And let my cry 
come to thee. 

V. The Lord be with 
you, 

R. And with thy spirit. 



BURIAL SERVICE FOR ADULTS. 



707 



OREMUS. 

FAC, quaesumus Do- 
mine, hanc cum ser- 
vo tuo deft] nc to [vel fa- 
mula tua defuncta] mise- 
ricordiam, ut factorum su- 
orum in poenis non reci- 
piat vicem, qui [yel quag] 
tuam in votis ten u it vo- 
luntatem ; ut sicut hie eum 
[ve/eam] vera fides junxit 
fidelium turmis, ita illic 
eum [vel earn] tua misera- 
tio societ Angelicis choris. 
Per Christum Dominum 
nostrum. R. Amen. 

y r . Requiem aeternam 
dona ei Domine. 

R. Etlux perpetua lu- 
ceat ei. 

W. Requiescat in pace. 

R. Amen. 

Tf. Anima ejus, et ani- 
mae omnium fidelium de- 
functorum per misericor- 
diam Dei requiescant in 
pace. 

R. Amen. 



LET US PRAY. 

GRANT, O Lord! this 
mercy to thy servant 
departed, that he [she] 
may not receive a return 
of punishmentfor his [her] 
deeds, who in desire ob- 
served thy will : that as 
here true faith has joined 
him [her] to the company 
of thy faithful, so thy 
mercy may there associate 
him [her] to the choirs of 
Angels : through Christ 
our Lord. 
R. Amen. 

V. Eternal rest give to 
him [her] , Lord ! 

R. And may perpetual 
light shine upon him, 
[her]. 

KT. Let him [her] rest 
in peace. 

R. Amen. 

May his [her] soul, 
and the souls of all the 
faithful departed, through 
the mercy of God, rest in 
peace. 

R. Amen. 



In returning from the grave, the 129th Psalm, with its an 
tiphon, p. 697, is recited. 



BURIAL SERVICE TOR CHILDREN. 



The priest sprinkles the corpse with holy water, then says : 
Ant. Sit nomen Do- Ant. Blessed be the 
mini. name. 



Psalmus 112. 

LAUDATE pueri Do- 
minum : * laudate 
men Domini. 

Sit nomen Domini bene- 
dictum, * ex hoc nunc, et 
usque in saeculum. 

A solis ortu usque ad 
occasum, * laudabile no- 
men Domini. 



Excelsus super omnes 
gentes Dominus, * et su- 
per ccelos gloria ejus. 

Quis sicut Dominus 
Deus noster, qui in altis 
habitat, * et humilia re- 
spicit in cgbIo et in terra 1 

Suscitans a terra ino- 



pem, 



et de stercore eri- 



gens pauperem : 

Ut collocet eum cum 
principibus, * cum piin- 
cipibus populi sui. 

Qui habitare facit steri- 
lem in domo, * matrem 
filiorum laetantem. 



■05 



Psalm 112. 

PRAISE the Lord, ye 
children : praise ye 
the name of the Lord. 

Blessed be the name of 
the Lord, from henceforth, 
now, and for ever. 

From the rising of the 
sun unto the going- down 
of the same, the name of 
the Lord is worthy of 
praise. 

The Lord is high above 
all nations : and his glory 
above the heavens. 

Who is as the Lord our 
God, who dwelleth on 
high, and looketh down 
on the low things in hea- 
ven and in earth ? 

Raising up the needy 
from the earth, and lifting 
up the poor out of the 
dunghill : 

That he may place him 
with princes, with the 
princes of his people. 

Who maketh a barren 
woman to dwell in a 
house, the joyful mother 
of children. 



BURIAL SERVICE FOR CHILDREN - . 709 



Gloria Patri, et Filio. 

Ant, Sitnomen Domini 
benedictum, ex hoc nunc, 
et usque in saeculum. 



Glory be to the Father, 
&c. 

Ant, Blessed be the 
name of the Lord : from 
henceforth, now, and for 
ever. 



While, the corpse is carried to the church, the priest says 
the following : 



B 



PSALMUS 118. 

EATI immaculati in 
via : * qui ambulant 



in lege Domini. 



Beati qui scrutantur tes- 
timonia ejus • * in to to 
corde exquirunt eum. 

Non enim qui operantur 
iniquitatem, * in viis ejus 
ambulaverunt. 

Tu mandasti * mandata 
tua custodiri nimis. 

Utinam dirigantur vise 
meae, * ad custodiendas jus- 
tificationes tuas. 

Tunc non confundar, 
* cum perspexero in om- 
nibus mandatis tuis. 

Confitebor tibi in direc- 
tione cordis : * in eo quod 
didici judicia justitiae tuse. 

Justificationes tuas cus- 
todiam : * non me derelin- 
quas usquequaque. 



60 



Psalm 118. 
T> LESS ED are the un- 
_D defiled in the way, 
who walk in the law of 
the Lord. 

Blessed are they that 
search his testimonies : 
that seek him with their 
whole heart. 

For they that work ini- 
quity, have not walked in 
his ways. 

Thou hast commanded 
thy commandments to be 
kept most diligently. 

! that my ways may 
be directed to keep thy 
justifications. 

Then shall I not be 
confounded, when I shall 
look into all thy command- 
ments. 

1 will praise thee with 
uprightness of heart, when 
I shall have learned the 
judgments of thy justice. 

I will keep thy justifi- 
cations : ! do not thou 
utterly forsake me. 



710 BURIAL SERVICE FOR CHILDREN. 



In quo corrigit adoles- 
centior viam suam ] * in 
custodiendo sermonestuos. 

In toto corde meo ex- 
quisivi te : * ne repellas 
me a mandatis tuis. 

In corde meo abscondi 
eloquia tua : * ut non pee- 
cem tibi. 

JBenedictus es,Domine : 

* doce me justificationes 
tuas. 

In labiis meis * pronun- 
tiavi omnia judieia oris tui. 

In via testimoniorum 
tuorum delectatus sum, 

* sicutin omnibus divitiis. 
In mandatis tuis exerce- 

bor : * et considerabo vias 
tuas. 

In justificationibus tuis 
meditabor : * non oblivis- 
car sermones taos. 

Gloria Patri, etc. 

ETRIBUE servo tuo, 
vivifica me : * et cus- 
todian! sermones tuos. 
Revela oculos meos : 

* et considerabo mirabilia 
de lege tua. 

Incola ego sum in terra : 

* non abscondas a me man- 
data tua. 

Concupivit anima mea 



By wbat doth a young 
man correct his way? by 
observing thy words. 

With my whole heart 
have I sought after thee : 
let me not stray from thy 
commandments. 

Thy words have I hid- 
den in my heart, that I 
may not sin against thee. 

Blessed art thou, O 
Lord : teach me thy justi- 
fications. 

With my lips I have 
pronounced all the judg- 
ments of thy mouth. 

I have been delighted in 
the way of thy testimo- 
nies, as in all riches. 

I will meditate on thy 
commandments : and I will 
consider thy ways. 

I will think of thy jus- 
tifications : I will not for- 
get thy words. 

Glory be to the Father, 
&c. 

GIVE bountifully to thy 
servant; enliven me, 
and I shall keep thy words. 

Open thou my eyes : 
and I will consider the 
wondrous things of thy 
law. 

I am a sojourner on the 
earth : hide not thy com- 
mandments from me. 

My soul hath coveted to 




BURIAL SERVICE FOR CHILDREN. 711 



desiderare justificationes 
tuas, * in omni tempore. 

Increpasti superb os : * 
maledicti qui declinant a 
mandatis tuis. 

Aufer a me opprobrium, 
et contemptum : * quia 
testimonia tua exquisivi. 

Etenim sederunt princi- 
pes, et adversum me lo- 
quebantur : * servus autem 
tuus exercebatur in justifi- 
cationibus tuis. 

Nam et testimonia tua 
meditatio mea est: * et 
consilium meum justifica- 
tiones tuae. 

Adhsesit pavimento ani- 
raa mea : * vivifica me 
secundum verbum tuum. 

Vias meas enuntiavi, et 
exaudisti me : * doce me 
justificationes tuas, 

Viam justificationum tu- 
arum instrueme : * et exer- 
cebor in mirabilibus tuis. 



Dormitavit anima mea 
prae tsedio : * confirma me 
in verbis tuis. 

Viam iniquitatis amove 



long for thy justifications, 
at all times. 

Thou hast rebuked the 
proud : they are cursed 
who decline from thy com- 
mandments. 

Remove from me re- 
proach and contempt : be- 
cause I have sought after 
thy testimonies. 

For princes sat, and 
spoke against me : but thy 
servant was employed in 
thy justifications. 

For thy testimonies are 
my meditation: and thy 
justifications my counsel. 

My soul hath cleaved to 
the pavement : quicken 
thou me according to thy 
word . 

I have declared my 
ways and thou hast heard 
me: teach me thy justifi- 
cations. 

Make me to understand 
the way of thy justifica- 
tions : and I shall be ex- 
ercised in thy wondrous 
works. 

My soul hath slum- 
bered through heaviness : 
strengthen thou me in thy 
words. 

Remove from me the 



712 BURIAL SERVICE FOR CHILDREN. 



a me: * et de lege tua 
miserere mei. 



Viam veritatis elegi : * 
judicia tua non sum obli- 
tus. 

Adhaesi testimoniis tuis 
Domine : * noli me con- 
fundere. 

Viam mandatorum tuo- 
rum cucurri, * cum dila- 
tasti cor meum. 



Gloria Patri, etc. 



way of iniquity, and out 
of thy law have mercy on 
me. 

I have chosen the way 
of truth : thy judgments 
I have not forgotten. 

I have stuck to thy tes- 
timonies, Lord, put me 
not to shame. 

I have run the way of 
thy commandments, when 
thou didst enlarge my 
heart. 

Glory be to the Father, 
&c. 



If time permit, the following may also be said : 



PSALMUS 148. 

LAUDATE Dominum 
de coelis : * laudate 
eum in excelsis. 

Laudate eum omnes An- 
geli ejus : * laudate eum 
omnes virtutes ejus. 

Laudate eum sol et 
luna : * laudate eum om- 
nes stellae et lumen. 

Laudate eum cceli ccelo- 
rum : * et aquas omnes 
quae super coelos sunt, 
laudent nomen Domini. 

Quia ipse dixit, et facta 
sunt : * ipse mandavit, et 
creata sunt. 

Statuit ea in aeternum, 
et in saeculum saeculi : * 



Psalm 148. 

PRAISE ye the Lord 
from the heavens : 
praise ye him in the high 
places. 

Praise ye him all his 
Angels : praise ye him, all 
his hosts. 

Praise ye him, sun 
and moon: praise him, all 
ye stars and light. 

Praise him, ye heavens 
of heavens : and let all the 
waters that are above the 
heavens, praise the name 
of the Lord. 

For he spoke, and they 
were made : he command- 
ed, and they were created. 

He hath established 
them for ever, and for ages 



BURIAL SERVICE FOR CHILDREN. 713 



praeceptum posuit, et non 
praeteribit. 

Laud ate Dominum de 
terra : * dracones, et om- 
nes abyssi. 

Ignis, grando, nix, gla- 
cies, spiritus procellarum : 

* quae faciunt verbum ejus : 

Montes, et omnes colles : 

* ligna fructifera, et om- 
nes cedri : 

Bestiae, et universa pec- 
cora : * serpentes, et volu- 
cres pennatae : 

Reges terrae, et omnes 
populi : * principes, et 
omnes judices terrae. 

Juvenes, et virgines, 
senes cum junioribus lau- 
dent nomen Domini : * 
quia exaltatum est nomen 
ejus solius. 

Confessio ejus super 
coelum et terram : * et ex- 
altavit cornu populi sui. 

Hymnus omnibus Sanc- 
tis ejus : * filiis Israel; po- 
pvlo appropinquanti sibi. 

Gloria Patri, etc. 



Psalmus 149. 

CANTATE Domino 
canticum novum : * 



of ages : he hath made a 
a decree, and it shall not 
pass away. 

Praise the Lord from the 
earth, ye dragons, and all 
ye deeps : 

Fire, hail, snow, ice, 
stormy winds, which fulfil 
his word : 

Mountains, and all hills, 
fruitful trees, and all ce- 
dars : 

Beasts, and all cattle : 
serpents, and feathered 
fowls : 

Kings of the earth, and 
all people : princes, and all 
judges of the earth : 

Young men, and maid- 
ens : let the old with the 
younger praise the name 
of the Lord : for his name 
alone is exalted. 

The praise of him is 
above heaven and earth : 
and he hath exalted the 
horn of his people. 

A hymn to all his saints : 
to the children of Israel, a 
people approaching to him. 
Alleluia. 

Glory be to the Father, 
&c. 

Psalm 149. 

SING ye to the Lord a 
new canticle : let his 

60* 



714 BURIAL SERVICE FOR CHILDREN. 



laus ejus in ecclesia sanc- 
torum. 

Lsetetur Israel in eo, qui 
fecit eum : * etfiliiSionex- 
ultent in rege suo. 

Laudent nomen ejus in 
choro : * in tympano et 
psalterio psaliant ei : 

Quia beneplacitum est 
Domino in populo suo : * 
et exaltabit mansuetos in 
salutem. 

Exultabunt sancti in 
gloria, * laetabuntur in cu- 
bilibus suis. 

Exaltationes Dei in gut- 
ture eorum: * et gladii 
ancipites in manibus eo- 
rum. 

Ad faciendam vindictam 
in nationibus : * increpa- 
tiones in populis : 

Ad alligandos reges eo- 
rum in compedibus : * et 
nobiles eorum in manicis 
ferreis ; 

Ut faciant in eis judi- 
cium conscriptum : * glo- 
ria hagc est omnibus Sanc- 
tis ejus. 

Gloria Patri, etc. 

PSALMUS 150. 




AUDATE Dominum 
I in Sanctis ejus : * 



praise be in the church of 
the saints. 

Let Israel rejoice in him 
that made hirn : and let 
the children of Sion be 
joyful in their king. 

Let them praise his 
name in choir: let them 
sing to him with the tim- 
brel and the psaltery. 

For the Lord is well 
pleased with his people : 
and he will exalt the meek 
unto salvation. 

The saints shall rejoice 
in glory: they shall be 
joyful in their beds. 

The high praises of God 
shall be in their mouth: 
and two-edged swords in 
their hands : 

To execute vengeance 
upon the nations, chastise- 
ments among the people : 

To bind their kings with 
fetters, and their nobles 
with manacles of iron. 

To execute upon them 
the judgment that is writ- 
ten : this glory is to all his 
saints. 

Glory be to the Father, 
&c. 

Psalm 150. 
T)R AISE ye the Lord in 
I his holy places : praise 



BURIAL SERVICE FOR CHILDREN. 715 



laudate eum in firmamento 
virtutis ejus. 

Laudate eum in virtuti- 
bus ejus : * laudate eum 
secundum multitudinem 
magnitudinis ejus. 

Laudate eum in sono 
tubae : * laudate eum in 
psalterio et cithara. 

Laudate eum in tympano 
et choro : * laudate eum 
in chordis et organo. 

Laudate eum in cym- 
balis benesonantibus : lau- 
date eum in cymbalis ju- 
bilationis : * omnis spiri- 
tus laudet Dominum. 

Gloria Patri, et Filio. 



ye him in the firmament 
of his power. 

Praise ye him for his 
mighty acts : praise ye him 
according to the multitude 
of his greatness. 

Praise him with sound 
of trumpet: praise him 
with psaltery and harp. 

Praise him with timbrel 
and choir : praise him with 
strings and organs. 

Praise him on hiofh- 
sounding cymbals : praise 
him on cymbals of joy: 
let every spirit praise the 
Lord. 

Glory be to the Father, 
&c. 



On arriving at the church, the Priest says 



Ant. Hie accipiet. 

Psalmus 23. 

DOMINI est terra, et 
plenitudo ejus ; * cr- 
bis terrarum, et universi 
qui habitant in eo. 

Quia ipse super maria 
fundavit eum : et * super 
flumina praeparavit eum. 

Quis ascendet in mon- 
tem Domini] * aut quis 
stabit in loco sancto ejus? 

Innocens manibus et 
mundo corde : * qui non 
accepit in vano animam 



Ant. This child shall 



receive. 



Psalm 23. 



THE earth is the Lord's 
and the fulness there- 
of : the world and all they 
that dwell therein: 

For he hath founded it 
upon the seas ; and hath 
prepared it upon the rivers. 

Who shall ascend into 
the mountain of the Lord : 
or who shall stand in his 
holy place 1 

The innocent in hands, 
and clean of heart, who 
hath not taken his soul in 



716 BURIAL SERVICE FOR CHILDREN. 



suam, nec juravit in dolo 
proximo suo. 

Hie accipiet benedic- 
tionem a Domino : * et 
misericordiam a Deo salu- 
tari suo. 

Haec est genera tio quae- 
rentium eum,* quaerentium 
faciem Dei Jacob. 

Attollite portas princi- 
pes vestras, et elevamini 
portae aeternales : * et in- 
troibit Rex gloriae. 

Quis est iste Rex glo- 
ria? ? * Domimis fortis et 
potens, Dominus potens 
in praelio. 

Attollite portas princi- 
pes vestras, et elevamini 
porta? aeternales : * et in- 
troibit Rex gloriae. 

Quis est iste Rex glo- 
riae ] * Dominus virtutum 
ipse est Rex gloriae. Glo- 
ria Patri, etc. 

Ant. Hie accipiet bene- 
dictionem a Domino, et 
misericordiam a Deo sal- 
utari suo, quia haec est 
generatio quaerentium Do- 
minum. 

Kyrie eleison. 
Christe eleison. 
Kyrie eleison. 
Pater noster, &c. 



vain, nor sworn deceitfully- 
to his neighbor. 

He shall receive a bless- 
ing from the Lord, and 
mercy from God his Sa- 
viour. 

This is the generation 
of them that seek him, of 
them that seek the face of 
the God of Jacob. 

Lift up your gates, O 
ye princes, and be ye lift- 
ed up, eternal gates ; 
and the King of Glory 
shall enter in. 

Who is this King of 
Glory] the Lord who is 
strong and mighty : the 
Lord mighty in battle. 

Lift up your gates, ye 
princes, and be ye lifted 
up, eternal gfttes ; and 
the King of Glory shall 
enter in. 

Who is this King of 
Glory 1 the Lord of hosts 
he is the King of Glory. 
Glory be to the Father, &e. 

Ant. This child shall 
receive a blessing from 
the Lord, and mercy from 
God his [or her] Saviour ; 
for this is the race of them 
who seek the Lord. 

Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ, have mercy on us e 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Our Father, &c. 



BURIAL SERVICE FOR CHILDREN. 717 



The body is sprink 

lfr. Et ne nos inducas 
in tentationem. 

R. Sed libera nos a 
nialo. 

y . Me autem propter 
innocentiam suscepisti. 

R. Et confirmasti me in 
conspectu tuo in aeternum. 

V, Dominus vobiscum. 

R. Et cum spiritu tuo. 

O REMUS. 




MNIPOTENS et mi- 
tissime Deus, qui 



omnibus parvulis renatis 
fonte Baptismatis, dum 
migrant a sseculo, sine 

o ... 

ullis eorum meritis vitam 
illico largiris seternam, 
sicut animse hujus parvuli 
hodie credimus te fecisse : 
fac nos, quaesumus Do- 
mine, per intercessionem 
beatae Mariae semper vir- 
ginis, et omnium Sancto- 
Tum tuorum, hie puriflcatis 
tibi mentibus famulari, et 
in Paradiso cum beatis 
parvulis perenniter sociari. 
Per Christum Dominum 
nostrum. 



R. Amen. 



led with holy water. 

lfr. And lead us not into 
temptation. 

R. But deliver us from 
evil. 

t. Th ou hast taken me 
to thyself on account of 
my innocence. 

R. And thou hast esta- 
blished me in thy pre- 
sence for ever. 

The Lord be with 

you. 

R. And with thy spirit. 

LET US PRAY. 

ALMIGHTY and 
Most Meek God, 
who dost confer eternal 
life, without any merit of 
theirs, on all little children 
renewed by the water of 
Baptism, immediately on 
their departure from this 
life ; as we believe that 
thou hast done to-day to- 
wards this little child : 
Grant, through the inter- 
cession of the Blessed 
Virgin Mary, and of all 
thy Saints, that we may 
serve thee here with puri- 
fied minds, and that we 
may be associated for ever 
in Paradise with those 
blessed little children. 
Through Christ our Lord. 
R. Amen. 



718 BURIAL SERVICE FOR CHILDREN. 



While the corpse is carriei 
not carried, the following is , 

Ant. Juvenes et vir- 
gines. 

Psalmus 148, etc., ut su- 
pra, p. 712. 

Ant. Juvenes et vir- 
gines, senes cum juniori- 
bus laudent nomen Do- 
mini. 

Kyrie eleison. 
Christe eleison. 
Kyrie eleison. 
Pater noster, seer do. 

y. Et ne nos inducas 
in tentationem. 

R. Sed libera nos a 
malo. 

y . Sinite parvulos ve- 
nire ad me. 

R. Tali am est enim 
regnum ccelorum. 

y. Dominus vobiscum. 

R. Et cum spiritu tuo. 

OREMUS. 

OMNIPOTENS sem- 
piterne Deus, sanctae 
puritatis amator, qui ani- 
mam hujus parvuli ad coelo- 
rum regnum hodie miseri- 
cord iter vocare dignatus 
es, dio-neris etiam Domine 
ita nobiscum misencordi- 
ter agere ; ut meritis tuag 
sanctissimee Passionis, et 



to the grave, and even when 
aid : 

Ant. Young men and 
maidens. 

Psalm 148, &c, as on 
p. 712. 

Ant. Young men and 
maidens : let the old with 
the young praise the name 
of the Lord. 

Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Our Father, &c. 

N. And lead us not into 
temptation. 

R. But deliver us from 
evil. 

V. Suffer children to 
come to me. 

R. For of such is the 
kingdom of heaven. 

y. The Lord be with 
you. 

R. And with thy spirit. 

LET US PRAY. 

ALMIGHTY and 
Eternal God ! lover 
of holy purity ! who hast 
mercifully deigned to call 
the soul of this little child 
to the kingdom of heaven 
this day ; vouchsafe also, 
O Lord ! to deal merci- 
fully with us in like man- 
ner, that by the merits of 



BURIAL SERVICE FOR CHILDREN. 719 



intercessione beatae Maria? 
semper Virginis, et om- 
nium Sanctorum tuorum, 
in eodem regno nos cum 
omnibus Sanctis et electis 
tuis semper facias congau- 
dere. Qui vivis et regnas 
cum Deo Patre in unitate 
Spiritus sancti Deus, per 
omnia saecula sseculorum. 
R. Amen, 



thy most holy Passion, 
and by the intercession of 
the Blessed Virgin Mary, 
and of all thy Saints, thou 
wouldst grant, that we 
may rejoice for ever in the 
same kingdom with all 
thy Saints and elect. Who 
livest and reignest with 
God the Father, in the 
unity of the Holy Ghost, 
for ever and ever. R . Amen. 

Here the corpse and the grave are sprinkled with holy 
water, and incensed: after which the body is interred. In 
returning from the burial to the church, the following is 
said: 



Ant. Benedicite. 



Ant Bless the Lord. 



CANTICUM TRITJM PUERO- CANTICLE OF THE THREE 

rum. Dan. 3. children. Dan. 3. 

BENEDICITE omnia 
opera Domini Domi- 
no : * laudate et superexal- 
tate eum in saecula. 

Benedicite Angeli Do- 
mini Domino : * benedi- 
cite coeli Domino. 

Benedicite aquae omnes, 
quae super caelos sunt, 
Domino : * benedicite om- 
nes virtutes Domini Do- 
mino. 

Benedicite sol et luna 
Domino: * benedicite stel- 
lse coeli Domino. 

Benedicite omnis imber, 
et ros Domino : * benedi- 



ALL ye works of the 
Lord, bless the Lord ; 
praise and exalt him above 
all for ever. 

O ye Angels of the 
Lord, bless the Lord; O 
ye heavens, bless the 
Lord. 

all ye waters that are 
above the heavens, bless 
the Lord ; all ye powers 
of the Lord, bless the 
Lord. 

ye sun and moon, 
bless the Lord ; ye stars 
of heaven, bless the Lord. 

every shower and 
dew, bless ye the Lord ; 



720 BURIAL SERVICE FOR CHILDREN. 



cite omnes spiritus Dei 
Domino. 

Benedicite iomis et aestus 
Domino : * benedicite fri- 
gus et aestus Domino. 

Benedicite rores et prui- 
na Domino : * benedicite 
gelu et frigus Domino. 

Benedicite glacies et 
nives Domino : * benedi- 
cite noctes et dies Do- 
mino. 

Benedicite lux et tene- 
brae Domino : * benedicite 
fulgura et nubes Domino. 

Benedicat terra Domi- 
num : * laudet et superex- 
altet eum in saecula. 

Benedicite montes et 
colles Domino : * benedi- 
cite universa germinantia 
in terra Domino. 

Benedicite fontes Do- 
mino : * benedicite rnaria 
et flumina Domino. 

Benedicite cete, et om- 
nia quae moventur in aquis, 
Domino : * benedicite om- 
nes volucres cceli Domino. 

Benedicite omnes bestiae 
et pecora Domino : # bene- 
dicite rllii hominum Do- 
mino. 



all ye spirits of God, 
bless the Lord. 

ye fire and heat, bless 
the Lord; O ye cold and 
heat, bless the Lord. 

ye dews and hoar 
frost, bless the Lord ; O 
ye frost and cold, bless 
the Lord. 

ye ice and snow, 
bless the Lord ; O ye 
nights and days, bless the 
Lord. 

ye light and darkness, 
bless the Lord ; O ye 
lightnings and clouds, 
bless the Lord. 

O let the earth bless the 
Lord ; let it praise and 
exalt him above all for 
ever. 

O ye mountains and 
hills, bless the Lord ; O 
all ye things that spring 
up in the earth, bless the 
Lord. 

O ye fountains, bless 
the Lord ; ye seas and 
rivers, bless the Lord. 

ye whales and all 
that move in the waters, 
bless the Lord ; all ye 
fowls of the air, bless the 
Lord. 

O all ye beasts and 
cattle, bless the Lord ; 
ye sons of men, bless the 
Lord. 



BURIAL SERVICE FOR CHILDREN. 721 



Benedicat Israel Domi- 
num : * laudet et superex- 
altet eum in saecula. 

Benedicite sacerdotes 
Domini Domino : # bene- 
dicite servi Domini Do- 
mino. 

Benedicite spiritus et 
animae justorum Domino : 
* benedicite sancti et hu- 
miles corde Domino. 

Benedicite Anania, Aza- 
ria, Misael Domino: Cau- 
date et superexaltate eum 
in saecula. 

Benedicamus Patrem et 
Filium cum sancto Spi- 
ritu : * laudemus et super- 
exaltemus eum in saecula. 

Benedictus es Domine 
in firmamento cceli: * et 
laudabilis, et gloriosus, et 
superexaltatus in saecula. 

Ant. Benedicite Domi- 
num omnes electi ejus, 
agite dies laetitiae, et con- 
fitemini illi. 



let Israel bless the 
Lord : let them praise and 
exalt him above all for 
ever. 

ye priests of the 
Lord ; bless the Lord : O 
)^e servants of the Lord, 
bless the Lord. 

O ye spirits and souls 
of the just, bless the Lord ; 
O ye holy and humble of 
heart, bless the Lord. 

O Ananias, Azarias, and 
Misael, bless ye the Lord : 
praise and exalt him above 
all for ever. 

Let us bless the Father 
and the Son, with the 
Holy Spirit ; let us praise 
and exalt him above all 
for ever. 

Blessed art thou, 
Lord, in the firmament of 
heaven ; and praiseworthy, 
and glorious, and superex- 
alted above all for ever. 

Ant. Bless the Lord, 
all ye his elect; spend 
days of joy, and confess 
to him. 



Being before the altar, the priest says: 

y. Dominus vobiscum. "jf. The Lord be with 

you. 

R. Et cum spiritu tuo. R. And with thy spirit. 

61 



722 



MANNER OF SERVING 



OREMUS. 

DEUS, qui miro ordine 
Angel oram ministe- 
ria hominumque dispen- 
sas : concede propitius ; 
ut a quibus tibi ministran- 
tibus in ccelo semper as- 
sistitur, ab his in terra 
vita nostra muniatur. Per 
Christum Dominum nos- 
trum. R. Amen. 



LET US PRAY. 

OGOD, who by a won- 
derful order hast re- 
gulated the employments 
of ang-els and men ; grant 
that those who are always 
ministering before thee in 
heaven, may defend our 
lives here on earth. 
Through Christ our Lord. 
1J. Amen. 



MANNER OF SERVING A PRIEST AT MASS. 

The Clerk must kneel at his left hand, and answer him as follows: 

IXTROIBO ad altare Dei. 
C. Ad Deum, qui laedficat juventutem meara. 
P. Judica me, Deus. et discerne causam meam, de gente 
non sancta : ab homine iniquo et doloso erue me. 

C. Quia tu es Deus, fortitudo mea: quare me repulisti, 
et quare tristis incedo, dum affligit me inimicus ? 

P. Emitte lucem tuam, et veritatem tuam : ipsa me de- 
duxerunt, et adduxerunt in montem sanctum tuum et in 
tabernacula tua. 

C. Et introibo ad altare Dei : ad Deum qui lsetiricat ju- 
ventutem meam. 

P. Confitebor tibi in cithara, Deus, Deus meus. Quare 
tristis es, anima mea, et quare conturbas me ? 

C. Spera in Deo, quoniam adhuc confitebor illi ; salutare 
vultus mei, et Deus meus. 

P. Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto. 
C. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in 
saecula Sceculorum. Amen. 
P. Introibo ad altare Dei. 
C. Ad Deum, qui laetificat juventutem meam. 
P. Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini. 
C. Qui fecit ecelum et terram. 
P. Conflteor Deo, &c. 



A PRIEST AT MASS. 



723 



C. Misereatur tui Omnipotens Deus, et dimissis peccatis 
tuis, perducat te ad vitam asternam. 
P. Amen. 

C. Confiteor Deo omnipotenti, beatas Marias, semper vir- 
gini, beato Michaeli archangelo, beato Joanni baptista?; 
Sanctis apostolis Petro et Paulo, omnibus Sanctis, et tibi, 
Pater, quia peccavi nimis, cogitatione, verbo, et opere. 
[Strike your breast, and say] Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea 
maxima culpa. Ideo precor beatam Mariam semper vir- 
ginem, beatum Michaelem archangelum, beatum Joan- 
nembaptistam, sanctos apostolos Petrum et Paulum, omnes 
sanctos, et te Pater — orare pro me ad Dominum Deum nos- 
trum. 

P. Misereatur vestri, &c. 
C. Amen. 

P. Indulgentiam, absolutionem, &c. 
C. Amen. 

P. Deus, tu conversus vivincabis nos. 

C. Et plebs tua laetabitur in te. 

P. Ostende nobis, Domine, misericordiam tuam. 

C. Et salutare tuum da nobis. 

P. Domine, exaudi orationem meam. 

C. Et clamor meus ad te veniat. 

P. Dominus vobiscum. 

C. Et cum spiritu tuo. 

When the Priest goes from the book to the middle of the altar. 

P. Kyrie eleison. 
C. Kyrie eleison. 
P. Kyrie eleison. 
C. Christe eleison. 
P. Christe eleison 
C. Christe eleison. 
P. Kyrie eleison. 
C. Kyrie eleison. 
P. Kyrie eleison. 
P. Dominus vobiscum. 
C. Et cum spiritu tuo. 

WJien the Priest says, Flectarnus genua, as is the case a few times 
in the year, ansicer, Lev ate. 

At the end of the Epistle, say, Deo gratias ; then remove the Mass 
book to the other end of the altar, and always kneel or stand on the 
side opposite to that on which the book has been placed. 



724 



MANNER OF SERVING 



P. Dominus vobiscum. 
C. Et cum spiritu tuo. 

P. Sequentia sancti evangelii secundum, &c. 
Making the sign of the cross on your forehead, mouth and breast, say . 
C. Gloria tibi, Domine. 

At the end say : 

C. Laus tibi, Christe. 
P. Dominus vobiscum. 
0. Et cum spiritu tuo. 

Here the clerk is to give wine and water, and then hand the basin, 
water and towel, for the Priest. The Priest having washed his fingers, 
the clerk returns to his former place, and answers : 

P. Orate fratres. 

C. Suscipiat Dominus sacrificium de manibus tuis ad 
laudem et gloriam nominis sui, ad utilitatem quoque nos- 
tram, totiusque ecclesiae suae sanctae. 

P. Per omnia ssecula saeculorum. 

C. Amen. 

P. Dominus vobiscum. 

C. Et cum spiritu tuo. 

P. Sursum corda. 

C. Habemus ad Dominum. 

P. Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro. 

C. Dignum et justum est. 

At sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, &c, ring the little bell. 
When you see the Priest spread his hands over the chalice, you must 
give warning, by the bell, of the consecration which is about to be 
made. Then holding up the vestment with your left hand, and 
having- the bell in your right, you must ring during the elevation 
of the host : — vis often as you pass by the blessed sacrament, you 
must adore on your knees. 

P. Per omnia saecula saeculorum. 
C. Amen. 

P. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem. - 
C. Sed libera nos a malo. 
P. Per omnia ssecula saeculorum. 
C. Amen. 

P. Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum. 
C. Et cum spiritu tuo. 

The Priest's communion being ended, be ready to give him wine and 
water. If there are communicants, provide a towel, and say the 
Confiteor. After they have received, remove the book; take away the 
towel from the communicants, if there are any, and return to your 
former place. 



A PRIEST AT MASS, 725 

P. Dominus vobiscum. 

C. Et cum spiritu tuo. 

P. Per omnia seecula sEeculorum. 

C. Amen. 

P. Ite ; missa est : or, benedicamus Domino. 
C, Deo gratias. 

In masses for the dead. 

P. Requiescant in pace. 
C. Amen. 

Remove the book, if it be left open; kneel to receive the Priesfs blessing. 

P. Pater, et Films, et Spiritus Sanctus. 
C. Amen. 

P. Dominus vobiscum, 
C. Et cum spiritu tuo. 

P. Initium (or, sequentia) sancti evangelii, &c. 
C. Gloria, tibi, Domine. 

At the end say, Deo gratias. 

Put out the candles, and lay up all decently and carefully. ] 



61* 



VESPERS, 



OR 



THE EVENING OFFICE. 



FOR SUNDAYS. 



Pater noster, &c. 
Ave Maria, &c. 

DEUS, in adjutorium 
meum intende. 
R. Domine,adadjuvan- 
dum me festina. 

y. Gloria Patri,etFilio, 
et Spiritui sancto. 

R. Sicut erat in princi- 
pio, et nunc, et semper, 
et in saecula saeculorum. 
Amen. Alleluia. From 
Septuagesima Sunday fill 
Holy Thursday .• Laus tibi, 
Domine, Rex aeternee glo- 
riae. 

Psalmus 109. 

DIXIT Dominus Domi- 
no meo: # Sede a 
dextris meis : 

Donee ponam inimicos 
tuos, * scabellum pedum 
tuorum. 

Virgam virtutis tuae 

726 



Our Father, &c. 
Hail Mary, &c. 

INCLINE unto my aid, 
God! 
R. Lord ! make haste 
to help me. 

if. Glory be to the Fa- 
ther, and to the Son, and 
to the Holy Ghost. 

R. As it w as in the be- 
ginning", is now, and ever 
shall be, world without 
end. Amen. Alleluia. 
From Septuagesima Sun- 
day till Holy Thursday : 
Praise be to thee, Lord ! 
King of eternal glory. 

Psalm 109. 

THE Lord said to my 
Lord : Sit thou at my 
light hand : 

Until I make thy ene- 
mies thy foot-stool. 

The Lord will send forth 



VESPERS. 



727 



emittet Dominus ex Sion : 

* dominare in medio in- 
imicorum tuorum. 

Tecum principium in 
die virtutis tuae in splen- 
doribus sanctorum : * ex 
utero ante luciferum genui 
te. 

Juravit Dominus. et non 
pcenitebit eum : * Tu es 
Sacerdos in sternum se- 
undum ordinem Melchi- 
sedech. 

Dominus a dextris tins, 

* confregit in die irae suae 
reges. 

Judicabit in nationibus, 
implebit ruinas : * con- 
quassabit capita in terra 
multorum. 

De torrente in via bibet : 

* propterea exaltabit ca- 
put. 

Gloria Patri, &c. 

PSALMUS 110. 

CONFITEBOR tibi 
Domine in toto corde 
meo : # in concilio justo- 
rum, et conoreo-atione. 

Magna opera Domini: * 
exquisita in omnes volun- 
tates ejus. 

Confessio et magnifi- 



the sceptre of thy power 
out of Sion : rule thou in 
the midst of thy enemies. 

With thee is the princi- 
pality in the day of thy 
strength; in the brightness 
of the saints : from the 
womb before the day-star 
I begot thee. 

The Lord hath sworn, 
and he will not repent: 
Thou art a priest for ever 
according to the order of 
Melchisedech. 

The Lord at thy right 
hand hath broken kings in 
the day of his wrath. 

He shall judge among 
nations ; he shall fill ruins : 
he shall crush the heads in 
the land of many. 

He shall drink of the 
torrent in the way : there- 
fore shall he lift up the 
head . 

Glory be to the Father, 
&c. 

Psalm 110. 

I WILL praise t! ee, O 
Lord ! with my v\ hole 
heart; in the council of 
the just, and in the con- 
gregation. 

Great are the works of 
the Lord; sought out ac- 
cording to all his wills. 
His work is praise and 



728 



VESPERS. 



centia opus ejus : * et jus- 
titia ejus manet in saecu- 
lum saeculi. 

Memoriam fecit mira- 
bilium suorum, misericors 
et miserator Dominus : * 
escam dedittinientibus se. 



Memor erit in saeculum 
testamenti sui : * virtutem 
operum suorum annunti- 
abit populo suo : 

Ut det illis haereditatem 
gentium : * opera manuum 
ejus, Veritas et judicium. 

Fidelia omnia mandata 
ejus : confirmata in specu- 
lum saeculi ; * facta in ve- 
ritate et aequitate. 

Redemptionem misit po- 
pulo suo : * mandavit in 
aeternum testamentum su- 
um. 

Sanctum, et terribile 
nomen ejus : * initium sa- 
pientiae timor Domini. 

Intellectus bonus omni- 
bus facientibus eum : * 
laudatio ejus manet in sae- 
culum saeculi. 

Gloria Patri, &c. 



magnificence : and his jus- 
tice continueth for ever 
and ever. 

He hath made a remem- 
brance of his wonderful 
works, being a merciful 
and gracious Lord : he 
hath given food to them 
that fear him. 

He will be mindful for 
ever of his covenant : he 
will show forth to his 
people the power of his 
works : 

That he may give them 
the inheritance of the gen- 
tiles: the works of his 
hands are truth and judg- 
ment. 

All his commandments 
are faithful, confirmed for 
ever and ever, made in 
truth and equity. 

He hath sent redemp- 
tion to his people : he hath 
commanded his covenant 
for ever. 

Holy and terrible is his 
name : the fear of the Lord 
is the beginning of wis- 
dom. 

A good understanding 
to all that do it : his praise 
continueth for ever and 
ever. 

Glory, &c. 



VESPERS. 



729 



PSALMUS 111. 




EATUS vir, qui timet 
Dominum : * in man- 



datis ejus volet nimis. 

Potens in terra erit se- 
men ej us : * generatio rec- 
torum benedicetur. 

Gloria et divitia? in do- 
mo ejus : * et justitia ejus 
manet in sseculum saaculi. 

Exortum est in tenebris 
lumen rectis : * misericors, 
et miserator, et justus. 

Jucundus homo qui mi- 
seretur et commodat, dis- 
ponet sermones suos in 
judicio: * quia in asternum 
non commovebitur. 

In memoria aeterna erit 
justus : * ab auditione ma- 
la non timebit. 

Paratum cor ejus spera- 
r3 in Domino, confirma- 
tum est cor ejus: * non 
commovebitur donee des- 
piciat inimicos suos. 

Dispersit, dedit paupe- 
ribus : justitia ejus manet 



Psalm 111. 

BLESSED is the man 
that feareth the Lord : 
he shall delight exceed- 
ingly in his command- 
ments. 

His seed shall be mighty 
upon earth : the genera- 
tion of the righteous shall 
be blessed. 

Glory and wealth shall 
be in his house : and his 
justice remaineth for ever 
and ever. 

To the righteous a light 
is risen up in darkness : he 
is merciful, and compas- 
sionate and just. 

Acceptable is the man 
that showeth mercy and 
lendeth : he shall order 
his words with judgment : 
because he shall not be 
moved for ever. 

The just shall be in 
everlasting remembrance : 
he shall not fear the evil 
hearing. 

His beau is ready to 
hope in the Lord : his 
heart is strengthened ; he 
shall not be moved until 
he look over his ene- 
mies. 

He hath distributed, he 
hath given to the poor: 



730 



VESPERS. 



in saeculum saeculi,* cornu 
ejus exaltabitur in gloria. 

Peccator videbit, et 
irascetur, dentibus suis 
fremet et tabescet : * de- 
siderium peccatorum pe- 
ribit. 

Gloria Patri, &c. 

PSALMUS 112. 




AUDATE pueri Do- 
f minum : * laudate 



nomen Domini. 

Sit nomen Domini be- 
nedictum, * ex hoc nunc, 
et usque in seeculum. 

A solis ortu usque ad 
occasum, * laudabile no- 
men Domini. 



Excelsus super omnes 
gentes Dominus, * et su- 
per ccelos gloria ejus. 

Quis sicut Dominus De- 
us noster, qui in altis ha- 
bitat, * et humilia respicit 
in coelo et in terra? 

Suscitans a terra ino- 
pem, * et de stercore eri- 
gens pauperem : 

Ut collocet eum cum 
principibus, * cum princi- 
pibus populi sui. 



his justice remaineth for 
ever and ever: his horn 
shall be exalted in glory. 

The wicked shall see, 
and shall be angry; he 
shall gnash with his teeth, 
and pine away : the desire 
of the wicked shall perish. 

Glory, &c. 

Psalm 112. 

PRAISE the Lord, ye 
children : praise ye 
the name of the Lord. 

Blessed be the name of 
the Lord, from henceforth 
now and for ever. 

From the rising- of the 
sun unto the going down 
of the same, the name of 
the Lord is worthy of 
praise. 

The Lord is high above 
all nations ; and his glory 
above the heavens. 

Who is as the Lord our 
God, who dwelleth on 
high, and looketh down 
on the low things in hea- 
ven and earth 1 

Raising up the needy 
from the earth, and lifting 
rp the poor out of the 
dunghill : 

That he may place him 
with princes, with the 
princes of his people. 



VESPERS. 



731 



Qui habitare facit steri- 
lem in domo, * matrem 
filiorum Laetantem. 

Gloria Patri, &e. 

Psalmus 113. 

IN exitu Israel de 
JGgypto, * domus Ja- 
cob de populo barbaro. 

Facta est Judaea sancti- 
ficatio ejus, * Israel potes- 
tas ejus. 

Mare vidit, et fugit : * 
Jordanis conversus est re- 
trorsum. 

Montes exultaverunt ut 
arietes : * et colles sicut 
agni ovium. 

Quid est tibi mare quod 
fugisti : * et tu Jordanis, 
quia conversus es retror- 
sum 1 

Montes exultastis sicut 
arietes, * et colles sicut 
agni ovium 1 

A facie Domini mota est 
terra, * a facie Dei Jacob. 



Qui convertit petram in 
stagna aquarum, * et ru- 
pem in fontes aquarum. 

Non nobis Domine, non 



Who maketh the bar- 
ren woman to dwell in a 
house, the joyful mother 
of children. 

Glory, &c. 

Psalm 113. 

HEN Israel went 
out of Egypt, the 
house of Jacob from a bar- 
barous people : 

Judea was made his 
sanctuary, Israel his do- 
minion. 

The sea saw, and fled: 
Jordan was turned back. 

The mountains skipped 
like rams, and the hills 
like the lambs of the flock. 

What ailed thee, thou 
sea! that thou didst flee? 
and thou, O Jordan ! that 
thou wast turned back ? 

Ye mountains, that ye 
skipped like rams ; and ye 
hills, like lambs of the 
flock 1 

At the presence of the 
Lord the earth was moved, 
at the presence of the God 
of Jacob : 

Who turned the rock 
into pools of waters, and 
the stony hill into foun- 
tains of waters. 

Not to us, Lord ! not 




t 



732 



VESPERS. 



nobis : * sed nomini tuo da 
gloriam. 

Super misericordia tua, 
et veritate tua : * nequan- 
do dicant gentes : Ubi est 
Deus eorum ] 

Deus autem noster in 
coelo : * omnia quaecumque 
voluit, fecit. 

Simulacra gentium ar- 
gentum etaurum, * opera 
manuum hominum. 

Os habent, et non lo- 
quentur : * oculos habent, 
et non videbunt. 

Aures habent, et non 
audient; * nares habent, 
et non odorabunt 

Manus habent, et non 
palpabunt : pedes habent, 
et non ambulabunt : * non 
clamabunt in gutture suo. 

Similes illis riant qui 
faciunt ea: # et omnes qui 
confidunt in eis. 

Domus Israel speravit 
in Domirio : * adjutor eo- 
rum et protector eorum 
est. 

Domus Aaron speravit 
in Domino : * adjutor eo- 
rum, et protector eorum 
est. 

Qui timent Dominum, 
speraverunt in Domino : 



to us ; but to thy name 
give glory. 

For thy mercy, and for 
thy truth's sake : lest the 
gentiles should say : 
Where is their God 1 

But our God is in hea- 
ven : he hath done all 
things whatsoever he 
would. 

The idols of the gentiles 
are silver and gold, the 
works of the hands of men. 

They have mouths, and 
speak not; they nave 
eyes, and see not : 

They have ears, and 
hear not : they have noses, 
and smell not : 

They have hands, and 
feel not : they have feet, 
and walk not: neither 
shall they cry out through 
their throat : 

Let them that make 
them, become like unto 
them, and all such as trust 
in them. 

The house of Israel hath 
hoped in the Lord : he is 
their helper and their pro- 
tector. 

The house of Aaron 
Lath hoped in the Lord : 
he is their helper and their 
protector. 

They that fear the Lord 
have hoped in the Lord: 



VESPERS. 733 

* adjutor eorum et protec- he is their helper and their 
tor eorum est. protector. 

Dominus memor fuit The Lord hath been 

nostri ; * et benedixit no- mindful of us, and hath 

bis. blessed us. 

Benedixit domui Israel : He hath blessed the 

*benedixit domui i^aron. house of Israel : he hath 

blessed thehouse of Aaron. 

Benedixit omnibus, qui Fie hath blessed all that 

timent Dominum, * pusil- fear the Lord, both little 

lis cum majoribus. and great. ^ 

Adjiciat Dominus super May the Lord add bless- 

vos; # super vos, et super ings upon you; upon you, 

filios vestros. and upon your children. 

Benedicti vos a Domi- Blessed be you of the 

no * qui fecit ccelum et Lord, who made heaven 

terram. and earth. 

Ccelum cceli Domino; The heaven of heaven is 

* terram an tern dedit filiis the Lord's : but the earth 
hominum. he hath given to the chil- 
dren of men. 

Non mortui laudabunt The dead shall not 

te Domine : * neque om- praise thee, Lord ! nor 

nes, que descend unt in in- any of them that go down 

fernum. to hell. 

Sednosquivivimus,be- But we that live bless 

nedicimus Domino, * ex the Lord, from this time 

hoc nunc et usque in sae- now and for ever, 
culum. 

Gloria Patri, &c. Glory, &c. 

The following Psalm is sung on sundry festivals, in place 
of the foregoing. 

Psalmus 116. Psalm 116. 

LAUDATE Dominum f \ PRAISE the Lord ! 

omnes gentes : * lau- \_J all ye nations : praise 

date eum omnes populi. him, all ye people. 

Quoniam confirmata est For his mercy is con- 

G2 



734 



VESPERS. 



super nos misericordia firmed upon us : and the 

ejus : * et Veritas Domini truth of the Lord remain- 

manet in aeternum. eth for ever. 

Gloria Patri, &c. Glory, &c. 

Capitulum. 2 Cor. i. 

BENEDICTUS Deus T}LESSED be the God 

et Pater Domini nos- I) and Father of our 

tri Jesu Christi, Pater Lord Jesus Christ, the 

misericordiarum, et. Deus Father of mercies, and the 

totius consolationis, qui God of all comfort, who 

consolatur nos in omni comforteth us in all our 

tribulatione nostra. tribulation. 

R. Deo gratias. R. Thanks be to God. 

THE HYMN. 



LUCIS Creator optime, 
Lucem dierum pro- 
ferens, 
Primordiis lucis novae, 
Mundi parans originem. 



GREAT Creator of 
the light ! 
"Who from the darksome 

womb of nio-ht. 
Brou^ht'st forth new light 

at nature's birth, 
To shine upon the face of 
earth. 



Qui mane junctum ves- Who, by the morn and 
peri, ev'ning ray, 

Diem vocari praecipis : Hast measured time and 
Illabitur tetrum chaos, called it day ; 

Audi preces cum fletibns. Whilst sable night in- 
volves the spheres, 
Vouchsafe to hear our 
prayers and tears ; 

Ne mens gravata cri- Lest our frail mind with 
mine, sin defil'd, 

Vitae sit exul munere, From gift of life should be 
Dum nil perenne cogitat, exiled, 

Whilst on no heavenly 
thing she thinks ; 



VESPERS. 



735 



Seseque culpis illigat. 

Cceleste pulset ostium, 
Vitale tollat praemium : 
Yitemus cmne rioxium : 
Purgemus omne pessi- 
mum. 



But twines herself in 
Satan's links. 

ma) r she soar to hea- 
ven above, 
The happy seat of life and 
love ; 

Meantime, all sinful ac- 
tions shun, 
And satisfy for evil done. 



Praesta, Pater piissime, 
Patrique com par Unice, 
Cum Spiritu Paraciito, 
Regnans per omne specu- 
lum. Amen. 



y. Dirigatur, Domine, 
oratio mea. 

R. Sicut incensum in 
conspectu tuo. 



This pray'r most gra- 
cious Father ! hear; 
Thy equal Son incline his 
ear, 

Who, with the Holy 

Ghost and thee, 
Doth live and reign eter- 
nally. Amen. 

V . May my prayer, 
Lord ! be directed, 

R. As incense in thy 
siorht. 

The Magnificat, or the Canticle of the blessed Virgin. 
St. Luke i. 

MAGNIFICAT *ani- 
ma mea Dominum. 
Et exul tavit Spiritus me- 
us * in Deo salutari meo. 



Quia respexit humilita- 
tem ancilla? sua?, * ecce 
enim ex hoc beatam me 
dicent omnes generati- 
ones. 

Quia fecit mihi magna 
qui potens est ; * et sanc- 
tum nomen ejus. 



MY soul doth magnify 
the Lord. 
And my spirit hath re- 
joiced in God my Saviour. 

Because he hath regard- 
ed the humility of his hand- 
maid : for, behold from 
henceforth all generations 
shall call me blessed. 

For he that is mighty 
hath done great things to 
me : and holy is his name. 



736 



VESPERS. 



Et misericordia ejus a 
progenie in progenies, 
* timentibus eum. 

Fecit potentiam in bra- 
chio suo : * dispersit su- 
perbos mente cordis sui. 

Deposuit potentes de 
sede : * et exaltavit hu- 
miles. 

Esurientes implevit bo- 
nis : * et divites dimisit 
inanes. 

Suscepit Israel puerum 
suum; * recordatus mise- 
ricordiae suae. 

Sicut locutus est ad pa- 
tres nostros ; * Abraham 
et semini ejus in saecula. 

Gloria Patri, &c. 



And his mercy is from 
generation to generation, 
to them that fear him. 

He hath showed might 
in his arm : he hath scat- 
tered the proud in the con- 
ceit of their heart. 

He hath put down the 
m i ghty from their seat, and 
hath exalted the humble. 

He hath filled the hun- 
gry with good things : and 
the rich he hath sent away 
empty. 

He hath received Israel 
his servant, being mindful 
of his mere)". 

As he spoke to our fa- 
thers, to Abraham and to 
his seed for ever 
Glory, &c. 

Tlien follows the prayer, which is different every Sunday. 

Dominus vobiscum. V. The Lord be with 
you. 

R. And with thy spirit. 
Lord. 



R. Et cum spiritu tuo. 

W. Benedicamus Do- 
mino. 

R. Deo gratias. 

Iff. Fideliumanimae.per 
misericordiam Dei, requi- 
escant in pace. 

R. Amen. 

Pater noster, &c. 



Let us bless the 



R. Thanks be to God. 

y\ May the souls of the 
faithful, through the mercy 
of God, rest in peace. 

R. Amen. 

Our Father, &c. 



When Complin is not said immediately after Vespers, after the 
verse, Fidelium animoe, and the Pater nosier, is said, 

y . Dominus det nobis V, Our Lord grant us 



suam pacem. 



his peace I 



VESPERS. 



737 



R. Et vitam aeternam 
Amen. 

Then is said one of tlie following anthems, according to the time. 



R. And life everlasting. 
Amen, 



TVte Anthem, from the first Sunday of Advent till the 
Purification, inclusively. 

ALMA Redemptoris 
Mater, quae pervia 
cceli, 



1%/TOTHER of Jesus, 
JLtJL heaven's open gate, 



Porta manes, et Stella 

maris, succurre cadenti, 
Surgere qui curat populo ; 

tu quae genuisti, 
Natura mirante, tuum 

sanctum Genitorem, 
Virgo prius ac poste- 

rius, Gabrielis ab ore 

Sumens illud Ave, pec- 
catorum miserere. 



Star of the sea, support 

the fallen state 
Of mortals; thou whose 
womb thy Maker bore ; 
And yet, strange thing, 

a virgin, as before ; 
Who didst, from Ga- 
briel's hail, this news 
receive, 
Repenting sinners by thy 
prayers relieve. 

In Advent. 

W. Ano-elus Domini The Angel of the 

Lord declared his message 



nuntiavit Mariae, 



R. Et concepit de Spi- 
ritu sancto. 

OREMUS. 

GRATIAM tuam quae- 
sumus Domine, men- 
tibus nostris infunde; ut 
qui, Angelo nuntiante, 
Christi Filii tui incarna- 
tionem cognovimus, per 
passionem ejus et crucem 
ad resurrectionis gloriam 



62* 



to Mary. 

R. And she conceived 
by the Holy Ghost. 

LET US PRAY. 

POUR forth, we be- 
seech thee, O Lord! 
thy grace into our hearts, 
that we, to whom the in- 
carnation of Christ thy 
Son has been made known 
by the message of an An- 
gel, may, by his passion 



738 



VESPERS. 



perducamur. Pereumdem and cross, be brought to 
Christum Dominum nos- the glory of his resurrec- 
trum. tion : Through the same 

Christ, our Lord. 
R. Amen. R. Amen. 

After Advent. 

"if. Post partum Virgo V. After child-birth, 
inviolata permansisti. thou didst remain an in- 
violate virgin. 

R. Dei genitrix, inter- R. Mother of God, 
cede pro nobis. make intercession for us. 



o REMUS. 



LET US PRAY 



DEUS, qui salutis aeter- 
nae beatae Marias vir- 
ginitate fcecunda, humano 
generi prsemia praestitisti : 
tribue, quaesumus, ut ip* 
sam pro nobis intercedere 
sentiamus, per quam me- 
ruimus auctorem vitas sus- 
cipere Dominum nostrum 
Jesum Christum filium 
tuum. Amen, 



OGOD ! who by the 
fruitful virginity of 
the Blessed Virgin Mary, 
hast given to mankind 
the rewards of eternal sal- 
vation ; grant, we beseech 
thee, that we may be sen- 
sible of the benefits of her 
intercession, by whom we 
have received the Author 
of life, our Lord Jesus 
Christ, thy Son. Amen, 



From the Purification till Easter, 



A 



VE Regina caelo- 
rum, 

Ave Domina angelo- 
rum, 

Salve radix, salve por- 
ta, 

Ex qua mundo lux est 
orta. 



XT' AIL, Mary, queen of 
JlJl heavenly spheres, 
Hail, whom the angelic 

host reveres. 
Hail, fruitful root, hail, 

sacred gate, 
Whence the world's 

light derives its date. 



VESPERS. 



730 



Gaude virgo gloriosa, 
Super omnes speciosa ; 
Vale 6 valde decora. 
Et pro nobis Christum 
exora. 



y. Dignare me laudare 
te, Virgo sacrata. 

R. Da mihi virtutem 
contra hostes tuos. 

OREMUS. 

C10NCEDE,misericors 
/ Deus, fragilitati nos- 
tra? praesidium ; ut qui 
sanctae Dei genitricis me- 
moriam animus, interces- 
sionis ejus auxilio a nos- 
tris iniquitatibus resurga- 
mus. Per eumdem Chris- 
tum Dominum nostrum. 

R. Amen. 

From Easter 




EGINA coeli laetare, 
i Alleluia ; 



Quia quern meruistipor- 
tare, Alleluia ; 

Resurrexit, sicut dixit, 
Alleluia. 

Ora pro nobis Deum, 
Alleluia. 

W, Gaude et laetare Vir- 
go Maria, Alleluia. 



O glorious maid, with 
beauty blessed ! 

May joys eternal fill thy 
breast. 

Thus crowned with beau- 
ty and with joy, 

Thy prayers with Christ 
for us employ, 
y. Vouchsafe, sa- 
cred Virgin ! to accept my 

praises. 

R. Give me power 

against thy enemies. 

LET US PRAY. 

GRANT us, merci- 
ful God ! strength 
against all our weakness ; 
that we, who celebrate the 
memory of the holy Mo- 
ther of God, may, by the 
help of her intercession, 
rise again from our iniqui- 
ties : Through the same 
Christ, our Lord. 
R. Amen. 

until Trinity, 

QUEEN of heaven! 
rejoice, Alleluia ; 
For he whom thou didst 
deserve to bear, Alleluia ; 

Is risen again, as he 
said, Alleluia. 

Pray for us to God, Al- 
leluia. 

y. Rejoice and be glad, 
Virgin Mary ! Alleluia ! 



740 



VESPERS. 



R. Quia surrexit Do- 
minus vere, Alleluia. 

o REMUS. 

DEUS, qui per resur- 
rectionem Filii tui 
Domini nostri Jesu Chris- 
ti, mundum laetificare dig- 
natus es ; praesta, quaesu- 
mus, ut per ejus genitri- 
cem Virginem Mariam 
perpetuse capiamus gaudia 
vitae. Pereumdem Chris- 
tum Dominum nostrum. 

R. Amen. 



R. Because our Lord 
is truly risen, Alleluia. 

LET US PRAY. 

f \ GOD! who by the 

resurrection of thy 
Son, our Lord Jesus 
Christ, hast been pleased 
to fill the world with joy ; 
grant, we beseech thee, 
that by the Virgin Mary, 
his Mother, we may re- 
ceive the joys of eternal 
life : Through the same 
Christ, our Lord. 
R. Amen. 



From Trinity Sunday till Advent. 

SALVE, Regina, mater TTAIL, Queen, 
misericordia?, vita, il Mother of mercy ! 
dulcedo, et spes nostra, hail, our life, our comfort, 
salve. and our hope. 

Ad te clamamus, exules We, the banished chil- 
filii Evee. Ad te suspira- dren of Eve, cry out unto 
mus, gementes et flentes, thee. To thee we send 
in hac lacrymarum valle. up our sighs, groaning 

and weeping in this vale 
of tears. 

Eia ergo advocata nos- Come, then, our advo- 
tra, illos tuos misericordes cate, and look upon us 
oculos ad nos converte. with those thy pitying 

eyes. 

Et Jesum benedictum And after this our ba- 
fructum ventris tui, nobis nhhment, show us Jesus, 
post hoc exilium ostende ; the blessed fruit of thy 

womb. 

clemens! pia ! O merciful! O pious! 
dulcis Virgo Maria ! sweet Virgin Mary ! 



VESPERS, 



741 



V. Ora pro nobis, sanc- 
ta Dei genitrix ! 

R. Ut diofni efficiamur 
proinissionibus Chrisli. 



y. Pray for us, holy 

Mother of God ! 

R. That we may be 
made worthy of the pro- 
mises of Christ. 



OREMTS. 




MNIPOTENS sem- 
piterne Deus, qui 



o-loriosEe Vktfiiiis Matris 
Mariae corpus et animam, 
ut dignum Fiiii tui habita- 
culum effici mereretur, 
Spiritu sancto cooperante, 
prseparasti; da, ut cujus 
commemoratione laetamur, 
ejus pia intercessione ab 
instantibus malis, et a 
morte perpetua liberemur. 
Per eumdem Christum Do- 
minum nostrum. 

R. Amen. 

W. Divinum auxilium 
maneat semper nobiscum. 

R. Amen. 



let rs PRAY. 

\ LMIGHTYandeter- 
j\_ nal God ! who, by 
the co-operation of the 
Holy Ghost, didst prepare 
the body and soul of the 
glorious virgin Mother, 
Mar} r , that she might be- 
come a worthy habitation 
for thy Son ; grant, that as 
with joy we celebrate hei 
memory, so by her pious 
intercession we may be de- 
livered from present evils 
and eternal death : Through 
the same Christ, our Lord. 
I*. Amen. 

y. May the divine as- 
sistance always remain 
with us. 

R. Amen. 



ON THE FESTIVALS OF THE BLESSED 
VIRGIN MARY. 

Psalms, Dixit Dominus, &<*■, page 726, and Laudate puen 
Dominum, &c, page 730. 

Psalmus 121. Psalm 121. 

L STATUS sum in his J REJOICED at the things 
quae dicta sunt mihi : * J_ that were said to me : we 
in domum Domini ibimus. shall go into the house of the 

Lord. 



742 



VESPERS. 



Slantes erant pedes nostri, 
* in atriis tuis Jerusalem. 

Jerusalem, quas aedificatur 
ut civitas : * cujus partici- 
patio ejus in idipsum. 

Illuc enim ascenderunt tri- 
bus, tribus Domini ; * testi- 
monium Israel ad confiten- 
dum nomini Domini. 

Quia illic sederunt sedes 
in judicio, * sedes super do- 
mum Bavid. 

Rogate qua? ad pacem sunt 
Jerusalem: * et abundantia 
diligentibus te. 

Fiat pax in virtute tua, * 
et abundantia in turribus 
tuis. 

Propter fratres meos et 
proximos meos, * loquebar 
pacem de te. 

Propter domum Domini 
Dei nostri, * quaesivi bona 
tibi. 

Gloria Patri, &c. 

PSALMUS 126. 

NISI Dominus aedifica- 
verit domum, * in Va- 
lium laboraverunt qui aedifi- 
cant earn. 

Nisi Dominus custodierit 
civitatem, * frustra vigilat 
qui custodit earn. 

Vanum est vobis ante ra- 
cem surgere : * surgite post- 
quam sederitis, qui mandu- 
catis panem doloris. 

Cum dederit dilectis suis 
somnum ; * ecce haereditas 
Domini, fllii: merces, fruc- 
tus ventris. 



Our feet were standing 
thy courts, O Jerusalem ! 

Jerusalem, which is built 
as a city : which is compact 
together. 

For thither did the tribes 
go up, the tribes of the Lord ; 
the testimony of Israel, to 
praise the name of the Lord. 

Because there seats have 
sat in judgment, seats upon 
the house of David. 

Pray ye for the things that 
are for the peace of Jerusa- 
lem ; and abundance for them 
that love thee. 

Let peace be in thy 
strength : and abundance in 
thy towers. 

For the sake of my breth- 
ren, and of my neighbors, I 
spoke peace of thee. 

Because of the house of 
the Lord our God, I have 
sought good things for thee. 

Glory, &c. 

Psalm 126. 

UNLESS the Lord build 
the house they labor in 
vain that build it. 

Unless the Lord keep the 
city, he watcheth in vain 
that keepeth it. 

It is vain for you to rise 
before light : rise ye after 
you have sitten, you that eat 
tbe bread of sorrow. 

When he shall give sleep 
to his beloved : behold, the 
inheritance of the Lord are 
children ; the reward, the 
fruit of the womb. 



VESPERS. 



743 



Sicut sagittas in manu po- 
tentis : * ita filii excussorum. 



Beatus vir qui implevit de- 
siderium suura ex ipsis : * 
non confundetur cum loque- 
tur inimicis suis in porta. 

Gloria Patri, &c. 

PSALMUS 147. 

LAUDA, Jerusalem, Do- 
minum : * lauda Deum 
tuum, Sion. 

Quoniam confortavit seras 
port arum tuarum : * bene- 
dixit flliis tuis in te. 

Qui posuit fines tuos pa- 
cem : * et adipe frumenti sa- 
tiat te. 

Qui emittit eloquium suum 
terrae : * velociter currit ser- 
mo ejus. 

Qui dat nivem sicut la- 
nam : * nebulam sicut cine- 
rem spargit. 

Mittit crystallum suam si- 
cut buccellas : * ante faciem 
frigoris ejus quis sustinebit ? 

Emittet verbum suum et 
iiquefaciet ea; * flabit spi- 
ritus ejus, et fluent aquae. 

Qui annuntiat verbum su- 
um Jacob ; * justitias et ju- 
dicia sua Israel. 

Non fecit taliter omni na- 
tioni; * et judicia sua non 
manifestavit eis. 

Gloria Patri, &c. 



As arrows in the hand of 
the mighty, so the children 
of them that have been sha- 
ken. 

Blessed is the man that 
hath filled his desire with 
them ; he shall not be con- 
founded when he shall speak 
to his enemies in the gate. 

Glory, &c. 

Psalm 147. 

PRAISE the Lord, O Je- 
rusalem ! praise thy 
God, O Sion ! 

Because he hath strength- 
ened the bolts of thy gates : 
he hath blessed thy children 
within thee. 

Who hath placed peace in 
thy borders ; and filleth thee 
with the fat of corn. 

Who sendeth forth his 
speech to the earth : his word 
runneth swiftly. 

Who giveth snow like 
wool ; scattereth mists like 
ashes. 

He sendeth his crystal like 
morsels : who shall stand be- 
fore the face of his cold ? 

He shall send out his word, 
and shall melt them ; his 
wind shall blow, and the 
waters shall ran. 

Who declareth his word to 
Jacob ; his justices and his 
judgments to Israel. 

He hath not done in like 
manner to every nation: and 
his judgments he hath not 
made manifest to them. 

Glory, &c. 



744 



VESPERS. 



THE 

AVE maris siella, 
Dei mater alma, . 
A i que semper virgo, 
Felix coeli porta. 



Sumens illud Ave, 
Gabrielis ore, 
Funda nos in pace, 
Mutans Hevse nomen. 



Solve vincla reis, 
Profer lumen caecis, 
Mala nostra pelie, 
Bona cuneta posce. 



Monstra te esse mat rem, 
Sumat per te preces, 
Qui pro nobis natus 
Tulit esse tuus. 



Virgo singularis, 
Inter omnes mitis, 
Nos culpis solutos, 
Mites fae et castos. 



Vitam prassta puram, 
Iter para tutum, 
Ut videntes Jesum, 
Semper coliaetemur 



HYMN. 

T) RIGHT Mother of our 
JD Maker, hail ! 

f hou Virgin ever blessed ; 
The Ocean's Star by -which 
we sail, 

And gain the port of rest ! 

Whilst we this Ave thus to 
thee, 

From Gabriel's mouth re- 
hearse ; 
Prevail, that peace our lot 
may be, 

And Eva's name reverse. 

Release our long entangled 
mind, 

From all the snares of ill ; 
With heav'nly light instruct 
the blind, 
And all our vows fulfil. 

Exert for us a Mother's care, 
And us, thy children, 
own ; 

Prevail with him to hear our 
prayer, 
Who chose to be thy Son. 

O spotless Maid ! whose vir- 
tues shine 
With brightest purity ; 
Each action of our life refine, 
And make us pure like 
thee. 

Preserve our lives unstained 
from ill ; 
And guard us in our way*; 
That Christ, one day, our 
souls may fill 
With joys that ne'er de- 
cay." 



VESPERS. 



745 



Sit laus Deo Patri, 
Sumrao Christo decus, 
Spiritui saneto, 
Tribus honor unus. Amen. 



Dignare me, iaudare 
te, Virgo sacrata. 

1^. Da mihi virtutem con-# 
tra hostes tuos. 



To God the Father, endless 
praise ; 
To God the Son, the same ; 
And Holy Ghost, whose 
equal rays, 
One equal glory claim. 
Amen. 

Y. Vouchsafe, sacred 
Virgin, to accept my praises. 

Give me strength 
against thv enemies. 



ON FESTIVALS OF THE APOSTLES. 

First Vespers:* Second Vespers, Psalms, Dixit Dominus, 
page 726, Laudate pueri Dominum, page 730. 

Psalmus 115. Psalm 115. 



CREDIDI, propter quod 
locutus sum : * e^o au- 
tem humiliatus sum nimis. 

Ego dixi in excessu rneo :* 
Omnis homo mendax. 

Quid retribuam Domino 
* pro omnibus, quse retribuit 
mihi ? 

Calicem salutaris accipi- 
am, * et nomen Domini in- 
vocabo. 

Vota mea Domino reddam 
coram omni populo ejus : * 
pretiosa in conspectu Domini 
mors sanctorum ejus. 

Domine, quia ego servus 
tuus : * ego servus tuus, et 
filius ancillag tuaa. 

Dirupisti vincula mea: * 
tibi sacrificabo hostiam lau- 



IHAVE believed, there- 
fore have I spoken : but 
I have been humbled ex- 
ceedingly. 

I said in my excess, every 
man is a liar. 

What shall I render to the 
Lord, for all the things that 
he hath rendered to me ? 

I will take the chalice of 
salvation : and I will call 
upon the name of the Lord. 

I will pay my vows to the 
Lord, before ail his people : 
precious in the sight of the 
Lord is the death of his saints. 

O Lord ! for I am thy ser- 
vant : I am thy servant, and 
the son of thy handmaid. 

Thou hast broken my 
bonds : I will sacrifice to 



* The asterisk designates those festivals for which no 
particular Psalms are appointed : on these festivals, the 
Psalms which are placed under the head of Sunday are 
said. The first vespers are said on the eve of the festival. 

63 



746 



VESPERS. 



dis, et nomen Domini invo- 
cabo. 

Vota mea Domino reddam 
in conspectu omnis. populi 
ejus : * in atriis domus Domi- 
ni, in medio tui, Jerusalem. 

Gloria Patri, &c. 

PSALMUS 125. 

IN convertendo Dominus 
captivitatem Sion, * facti 
sumus sicut consolati. 

Tunc repletum est gaudio 
os nostrum, * et lingua nos- 
tra exultatione. 

Tunc dicent inter gentes : 
* Magniflcavit Dominus fa- 
cere cum eis. 

Magniflcavit Dominus fa- 
cere nobiscum : * facti su- 
mus lastantes. 

Converte Domine captivi- 
tatem nostram,* sicut torrens 
in austro. 

Qui seminant in lacrymis, 
in exultatione metent. 

Euntes ibant et flebant, * 
mittentes semina sua. 

Venientes autem venient 
cum exultatione, * portantes 
manipulos suos. 

Gloria Patri, &c. 

PSALMUS 138. 

DOMINE, probasti me 
et cognovisti me : * tu 
cognovisti sessionem meam, 
et resurrectionem meam. 

Intellexisti cogilationes 
meas de longe : * semitam 
meam et funiculum meum 
investigasti. 



thee the sacrifice of praise, 
and I will call upon the 
name of the Lord. 

I will pay my vows to the 
Lord iu the sight of all his 
people : in the courts of the 
house of the Lord, in the 
midst of thee, O Jerusalem ! 

Glory, &c. 

Psalm 125. 
WHEN the Lord 

V T brought back the cap- 
tivity of Sion, we became 
like men comforted. 

Then was our mouth filled 
with gladness ; and our 
tongue with joy. 

Then shall they say among 
the gentiles : The Lord hath 
done great things for them. 

The Lord hath done great 
things for us : we are be- 
come joyful. 

Turn again our captivity, 
O Lord ! as a stream in the 
south. 

They that sow in tears, 
shall reap in joy. 

Going, they went and 
wept, casting their seeds. 

But coining, they shall 
come with joy fulness, carry- 
ing their sheaves. 

Glory, &c. 

Psalm 138. 

LORD, thou hast proved 
me, and known me ; thou 
hact known my sitting down 
and my rising up. 

Thou hast understood my 
thoughts afar off: my path 
and my line thou hast 
searched out. 



VESPERS. 



747 



Et omnes vias praevidisti : 
* quia non est sermo in 
lingua mea. 

Ecee, Domine, tu cogno- 
visti omnia, novissima et 
antiqua: * tu formasti me, 
et posuisti super me manum 
tuam. 

Mirabilis facta est scientia 
tua ex me : * confortata est, 
et non potero ad earn. 

Quo ibo a spiritu tuo? * 
et quo a facie tua fugiam ? 

Si ascendero in ccelum, tu 
illic es: * si descendero in 
infernum, ades. 

Si sumpsero pennas meas 
diluculo, * et habitavero in 
extremis maris, 

Etenim illuc manus tua 
deducet me : * et tenebit me 
dextera tua. 

Et dixi : Forsitan tenebne 
conculcabunt me : * et nox 
iiluminatio mea in deliciis 
meis./ 

Quia tenebras non obscu- 
rabuntur a te, et nox sicut 
dies ilium inabitur : * sicut 
tenebrae ejus, it a et lumen 
ejus. 

Quia tu possedisti renes 
meos : * suscepisti me de 
utaro matris meae. 

Confitebor tibi quia ter- 
ribiliter magnificatus es : * 
mirabilia opera tua, et anima 
mea. cognoscit nimis. 

Non est occuitatum os me- 
um a te, quod fecisti in oc- 
culto : * et substantia mea in 
inferioribus terrae. 



And thou hast foreseen all 
my ways : for there is no 
speech in my tongue. 

Behold, O Lord ! thou hast 
known all things, the last 
and those of old : thou hast 
formed me, and hast laid thy 
hand upon me. 

Thy knowledge is become 
wonderful to me : it is high, 
and I cannot reach to it. 

Whither shall I go from 
thy spirit ? or whither shall 
I flee from thy face ? 

If I ascend into heaven, 
thou art there : if I descend 
into hell, thou art present. 

If I take my wings early in 
the morning, and dwell in 
the uttermost parts of the sea, 

Even there also shall thy 
hand lead me ; and thy right 
hand shall hold me. 

And I said ! Perhaps dark- 
ness shall cover me : and 
night shall be my light in 
my pleasures. 

But darkness shall not be 
dark to thee, and night shall 
be light as the day : the dark- 
ness thereof, and the light 
thereof, are alike to thee. 

For thou hast possessed 
my reins: thou hast protected 
me from my mother's womb. 

I will praise thee, for thou 
art fearfully magnified : won- 
derful are thy works, and my 
soul knoweth right well. 

My bone is not hidden from 
thee, which thou hast made 
in secret ; and my substance 
in the lower parts of the 
earth. 



748 



VESPERS. 



Imperfectum meum vide- 
runt oculi tui, et in libro tuo 
omnes scribentur : * dies for- 
mabuntur, et nemo in eis. 

Mihi autem nimis honorifi- 
cati sunt amici tui Deus : * 
nimis confortatus est princi- 
patus eorum. 

Dinumerabo eos, et super 
arenam multiplicabuntur : * 
exurrexi, et adhuc sum te- 
cum. 

Si occideris, Deus, peeca- 
tores : * viri sanguinum de- 
clinate a me. 

Quia dicitis in cogitatione : 

* Accipient in vanitate civi- 
tates tuas. 

Nonne qui oderunt te Do- 
mine, oderam : * et super ini- 
micos tuos tabescebam ? 

Perfecto odio oderam illos : 

* et inimici facti sunt mihi. 

Proba me, Deus, et scito 
cor meum: * interroga me, 
et cognosce semitas meas. 

Et vide si via iniquitatis in 
me est : * et deduc me in via 
asterna. 

Gloria Patri, &c 



Thy eyes did seo my im- 
perfect being, and in thy 
book all shall be written: 
days shall be formed, and no 
one in them. 

But to me, thy friends, O 
God ! are made exceedingly 
honorable : their principality 
is exceedingly strengthened. 

I will number them, and 
they shall be multiplied 
above the sand : I rose up, 
and am still with thee. 

If thou wilt kill the 
wicked, O God : ye men of 
blood, depart from me. 

Because you say in 
thought : they shall receive 
thy cities in vain. 

Have I not hated them, O 
Lord ! that hate thee ; and 
pined away because of thy 
enemies ? 

I have hated them with a 
perfect hatred : and they are 
become enemies to me. 

Prove me, O God ! and 
know my heart : examine 
me, and know my paths. 

And see if there be in me 
the way of iniquity : and 
lead me in the eternal way. 

Glory, &c. 



ON FESTIVALS OF ONE MARTYR OR SEVE- 
RAL. 

FirstVespers:* Second Vespers, instead o/'Laudate Domi- 
num, the last psalm is Credidi, page 745. 



ON FESTIVALS OF CONFESSORS, NOT 
BISHOPS.* 



VESPERS. 



749 



ON FESTIVALS OF CONFESSORS, BISHOPS. 

First Vespers:* in the Second Vespers, the last psalm is 
the following; 



PSALMUS 131. 

MEMENTO, Domine, 
David,* et omnis man- 
suetudinis ejus. 

Sicut juravit Domino,* vo- 
tum vovit Deo Jacob : 

Si introiero in tabernacu- 
lum domus meae, * si ascen- 
dero in lectum strati mei : 

Si dedero somnum oculis 
meis,* et palpebris meis dor- 
mitationem. 

Et requiem temporibus 
meis, donee inveniam locum 
Domino,* tabernaculum Deo 
Jacob. 

Ecce audivimus earn in 
Ephrata : invenimus earn in 
campis sylvae. 

Introibimus in tabernacu- 
lum ejus : * adorabimus in 
loco, ubi steterunt pedes 
ejus. 

Surge, Domine, in requi- 
em tuam, * tu et area sancti- 
ficationis tuae. 

Sacerdotes tui induantur 
justitiam : * et sancti tui ex- 
ultent. 

Propter David servum 
tuum, * non avertas faciem 
Christi tui. 

Juravit Dominus David 
veritatem, et non frustrabi- 
tur earn : * de fructu ventris 



Psalm 131. 

OLORD ! remember 
David, and all his 
meekness : 

How he swore to the 
Lord : he vowed a vow to 
the God of Jacob : 

If I shall enter into the 
tabernacle of my house : if I 
shall go up into the bed 
wherein I lie : 

If I shall give sleep to my 
eyes, or slumber to my eye- 
lids, 

Or rest to my temples ; 
until I find out a place for 
the Lord, a tabernacle for 
the God of Jacob. 

Behold we have heard of it 
in Ephrata; we have found 
it in the fields of the wood. 

We will go into his ta- 
bernacle : we will adore in 
the place where his feet 
stood. 

Arise, O Lord! into thy 
resting place ; thou and the 
ark, which thou hast sancti- 
fied. 

Let thy piiests be clothed 
with justice ; and let thy 
saints rejoice. 

For thy servant David's 
sake, turn not away the face 
of thy anointed. 

The Lord hath sworn truth 
to David, and he will not 
make it void : of the fruit of 



63* 



750 



VESPERS. 



tui ponam super sedem 
tuam. 

Si custodierint filii tui tes- 
tamentum meum, * et testi- 
monia mea hsec, quag docebo 
eos : 

Et filii eorum usque in 
saeculum, * sedebunt super 
sedem tuam. 

Quoniam elegit Dominus 
Sion : * elegit earn in habita- 
tionem sibi. 

Haec requies mea in saecu- 
lum saeculi: * hie habitabo, 
quoniam elegi earn. 

Viduam ejus benedicens 
benedicam : * pauperes ejus 
saturabo panibus. 

Sacerdotes ejus induam 
salutari: *et sanctiejus ex- 
ultatione exultabunt. 

Illuc producam cornu Da- 
vid : * paravi lucernam 
Christo meo. 

Inimicos ejus induam con- 
fusione : * super ipsum au- 
tem effiorebit sanctificatio 
mea. 

Gloria, &c. 



thy womb I will set upon thy 
throne. 

If thy children will keep 
my covenant, and these my 
testimonies which I shall 
teach them : 

Their children also for- 
evermore shall sit upon thy 
throne. 

For the Lord hath chosen 
Sion : he hath chosen it for 
his dwelling. 

This is my rest for ever 
and ever : here will I dwell, 
for I have chosen it. 

Blessing I will bless her 
widow ; I will satisfy her 
poor with bread. 

I will clothe her priests 
with salvation : and her 
saints shall rejoice with ex- 
ceeding great joy. 

There will I bring forth a 
horn to David : I have pre- 
pared a lamp for my an- 
ointed. 

His enemies I will clothe 
with confusion : but upon 
him shall my sanctification 
flourish. 

Glory. &c. 



ON FESTIVALS OF VIRGINS: 
The Psalms as on festivals of the Blessed Virgin, 741. 

ON FESTIVALS OF HOLY WOMEN : 

Psalms as the preceding. 

ON THE FESTIVAL OF ALL SAINTS. 
In Second Vespers, the last Psalm is Credidi, page 745. 

IN ADVENT. 

Second Vespers* 



VESPERS. 



751 



ON CHRISTMAS DAY. 

First Vespers:* Second Vespers, Psalms, Dixit Dominus, 
page 726, Confitebor. page 727, Beatus vir, page 729. 

Psalmus 129. Psalm 129. 



DE profundis clamavi ad 
te, Doraine : * Domine, 
exaudi vocem meam. 

Fiant aures tuae intenden- 
tes, * in vocem depreca- 
tionis mese. 

Si iniquitates observaveris 
Domine : * Domine, quis 
sustinebit ? 

Quia apud te propitiatio 
est : * et propter legem 
tuam sustinui te, Domine. 

Sustinuit anima mea in 
verbo ejus : * speravit anima 
mea in Domino. 

A custodia marutina usque 
ad noctem, * speret Israel in 
Domino. 

Quia apud Dominum 
misericordia. * et copiosa 
apud eum redemptio. 

Et ipse redirnet Israel, 
* ex omnibus iniquiratibus 
ejus. 

Gloria Patri, &c. 



OUT of the depths I have 
cried to thee, O Lord ! 
Lord, hear my voice. 

Let thy ears be attentive 
to the voice of my supplica- 
tion. 

If thou, Lord! wilt 
mark iniquities, Lord, who 
shall stand it ? 

For with thee there is 
merciful forgiveness : and 
by reason of thy law, I have 
waited for thee, O Lord! 

My soul hath relied on his 
word : my soul hath hoped 
in the Lord. 

From the morning watch 
even until night, let Israel 
hope in the, Lord. 

Because with the Lord 
there is mercy : and with 
him plentiful redemption. 

And he shall redeem 
Israel from all his iniqui- 
ties. 

Glor)\ &c. 



Fifth Psalm, Memento, Domine, page 749. 

ON THE FESTIVAL OF THE EPIPHANY. 

ON THE FESTIVAL OF THE HOLY NAME OF 
JESUS.* 

IN LENT. 

Second Vespers.* 

ON THE FESTIVAL OF EASTER. 

Second Vespers.* 



752 



VESPERS. 



ON THE FESTIVAL OF ASCENSION.* 
ON THE FESTIVAL OF WHITSUNDAY * 



ON THE FESTIVAL OF CORPUS CHRISTI. 

Psalms, Dixit Domimis, -page 726, Confitebor, page 727, 
Credidi, page 745. 

Psalmus 127. Psalm 127. 



BEATI omnes qui timent 
Dominum ; * qui ambu- 
lant in viis ejus. 

Labores manuum tuarum 
quia manducabis : * beatus 
es, et bene tibi erit. 

Uxor tua sicut vitis abun- 
dans, * in lateribus domus 
tuse. 

Filii tui sicut novelise 
olivarum,* in circuitu mensse 
tuae. 

Ecce sic benedicetur ho- 
mo, * qui timet Dominum. 
» 

Benedicat tibi Dominus 
ex Sion : * et videas bona 
Jerusalem omnibus diebus 
vitas tuae. 

Et videas filios fiiiorum 
tuorum, * pacem super 
Israel. 

Gloria Patri, &c. 



BLESSED are all they 
that fear the Lord ; that 
walk in his ways. 

For thou shalt eat the 
labors of thy hands : blessed 
art thou, and it shall be well 
with thee. 

Thy wife as a fruitful 
vine, on the sides of thy 
house. 

Thy children as olive 
plants round about thy ta- 
ble. 

Behold, thus shall the 
man be blessed, that feareth 
the Lord. 

May the Lord bless thee 
out of Sion : and mayest 
thou see the good things of 
Jerusalem, all the days of 
thy life. 

And mayest thou see thy 
children's children, peace 
upon Israel. 

Glory, &lc. 



The fifth Psalm, Lauda Jerusalem, page 743. 



THE BENEDICTION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. 



WHAT we call the Benediction, is a devotion practised 
by the Church, in order to give adoration, praise 
and blessing, or Benediction to God, for his infinite good- 
ness and love, testified to us in the institution of the Bless- 
ed Sacrament ; and to receive, at the same time, the bene- 
diction or blessing of our Lord, there present. 

When the Blessed Sacrament is taken out of the taber- 
nacle, the choir sings, salutaris hostia, dye, i. e., 
saving victim ! which openest the gates of heaven; lo, the 
wars of our enemies press upon us: do thou give us strength 
and aid. To the great Lord, who is three in one, be ever- 
lasting glory. Oh J may he grant us life without end, in 
our heavenly country. 

After this is usually sung seme psalm., or pious metre, according to 
the order of superiors, the discretion of the celebrant, or exigence of tlie 
times. Then follows the hymn of the Blessed Sacrament^ Pange lin- 
gua, or at least the latter part of it, Tantum ergo. 

THE HYMN. 



PANGE, lingua, glori- 
osi 

Corporis mysterium, 
Sanguinisque pretiosi 
Quern in mundi pretium 
Fructus ventris generosi 
Rex effudit gentium. 



SING, O my tongue ! 
adore and praise 
The depth of God's myste- 
rious ways ; 
How Christ, the world's 

great King, bestowed 
His flesh, concealed in hu- 
man food, 
And left mankind the blood, 

that paid 
The ransom for the souls he 
made. 



Nobis datus, nobis natus 
Ex intacta Virgine, 
Et in mundo conversatus, 
Sparso verbi semine, 



Giv'n from above, and born 

for man. 
From Virgin's womb his 

life began ; 
He lived on earth, and 

preached, to sow 
The seeds of heavenly truth 

below ; 



754 



BENEDICTION OF THE 



Sui moras incolatus 
Miro clausit ordine. 



In supremae nocte coenao. 
Recumbens cum fratribus 
Observata lege plene 
Cibis in legalibus, 
Cibum turbae duodenae 
Se dat suis manibus. 



Then sealed his mission from 
above, 

With strange effects of 
power and love. 



Verbum caro, panem ve- 
rum 

Verbo carnem efficit, 

Fitque sanguis Christi me- 
rum ; 

Et si sensus deficit, 

Ad firmandum cor since- 
rum 

Sola fides sufficit. 



Tantum ergo Sacramen- 
tum 

Veneremur cernui, 

Et antiquum documentum 

Novo cedat ritui : 

Praestet fides supplement um 

Sensuum defectui. 



Genitori, Genitoque 
Laus et jubilatio, 



ev Ding, 



'Twas on that 
when the last 

And most mysterious sup- 
per passed ; 

When Christ with his disci- 
ples sat, 

To close the law with legal 
meat ; 

Then to the Twelve him- 
self bestowed, 

With his own hands, to be 
their food. 

The Word, made flesh for 

love of man, 
His word turns bread to flesh 

again, 

And wine to blood, unseen 

by sense, 
By virtue of omnipotence; 
And here the Faithful rest 

secure, 

Whilst God can vouch, and 
t faith ensure. 

To this mysterious table 
now, 

Our knees, our hearts and 

sense we bow ; 
Let ancient rites resign their 
place 

To nobler elements of grace, 
And faith, for all defects, 

supply, 
Whilst sense is lost in mys- 
tery. 

To God the Father, born of 

none, 

To Christ, his co-eternal 
Son, 



BLESSED SACRAMENT. 



755 



Salus, honor, virtus quoque And Holy Ghost, whose 
Sit et benedictio equal rays 

Procedenti ab utroque From both proceed, one 

Compar sit laudatio. Amen. equal praise, 

One honor, jubilee, and 
fame, 

For ever bless his glorious 
name. Amen. 

"if. Panem de coelo prassti- ~f. Thou hast given them 

tisti eis. bread from beaven. 

Jfr. Omne delectamentum P. Replenished with all 

in se habentem. sweetness and delight. 

LET US PRAY. 

OGOD ! who hast left us, in this wonderful sacrament, 
a perpetual memorial of thy passion: grant us, we 
beseech thee, so to reverence the sacred mysteries of thy 
body and blood, that we may continually find in our souls 
the fruit of thy redemption, who livest and reignest, &c. 

Defend, we beseech thee, Lord ! through the inter- 
cession of the blessed Mary, ever Virgin, this thy family 
from all adversity; and, being prostrate before thee, with 
our whole hearts, protect us, in thy mercy, from the 
snares of our enemies, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

When the priest gives the benediction with the Blessed Sacrament, 
bow down, and profoundly adore your Saviour there present. Give 
him thanks for all his mercies; offer your whole self to him, to be his 
J or ever ; and earnestly beg his blessing upon you and yours , and 
upon his whole Church. 



o 



HYMNS AND ANTHEMS. 



THE FOLLOWING MAY BE SUNG AT THE BENEDIC- 
TION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. 

Chorus. \ DOREMUS in sternum 

J\ Sanctissimum Sacramentum. 

Solo. Laudate Dominum, etc., p. 733. 

The same in English. 

PROSTRATE in trembling awe, let's all adore 
This holy Sacrament for evermore. 

O praise the Lord, etc., p. 733. 



OSALUTARIS hostia, 
Quae cceli pandis ostium, 
Bella premunt hostilia, 
Da robur, fer auxilium. 

Uni trinoque Domino 
Sit sempiterna gloria, 
Qui vitam sine termino 
Nobis done-t in patria. Amen. 

The same in English. 

O SAVING host! O heavenly bread ! 
That mak'st our souls for ever live, 
Against the cruel foes we dread, 
Thy heavenly aid unto us give. 

O thou, who feed'st us with thy blood ! 

Good Shepherd, praise be to thy name • 
Whilst mortals taste th' immortal food, 

Let heavenly choirs thy love proclaim. 
756 



HYMNS AND ANTHEMS. 



757 



PANIS angelicus fit panis hominum ; 
Dat panis ccelicus figuris terminum : 
O res mirabilis ! manducat Dominuni 
Pauper, servus et humilis. 

Te, trina Deitas unaque, poscimus, 
Sic nos tu visita, sicut te colimus ; 
Per tuas semitas due nos quo tendimus. 
Ad lucem quam inhabitas. Amen. 

The same in English. 

THE bread of Angels, bread of men is made ; 
The truth and substance now exclude the shade. 
O strange effect of love ! the sovereign God 
Becomes the poor, the slave, the sinner's food! 

O Three and One ! we humbly thee implore 

To manifest thyself, as we adore ; 

By thy own ways instruct us how to move. 

To that bright light, in which thou dwell'st above. 



AVE, verum corpus, natum 
De Maria Virgine, 
Vere passum, immolatum 
In cruce pro homine. 

Cujus latus perforatum 
Unda fluxit et sanguine, 

Esto nobis prasgustatum 
Mortis in examine. 

O Jesu dulcis ! 

O Jesu pie ! 
Jesu fili Marias ! 

Tu nobis miserere. 

The same in English. 

HAIL, real body of our Lord, 
From spotless Virgin born ! 
Hail, Victim, stretched upon a cross, 
And for us bruised and torn ! 

Thy side, with cruel spear transpierced. 

Let out a saving flood, 
To wash our sinful stains away, 

Of water mixed with blood. 



64 



758 HYMNS AND ANTHEMS. 

O heav'nly manna be our food, 

Whilst in this life we stay ; • 

And when death comes, prepare our souls 
To meet the judgment day. 

O gracious Jesus ! bounteous Lord ! 

O Mary's clement Son! 
Let sinners grace and pardon find. 

Before thy mercy's throne. 

Tf-je following Anthems to the Blessed Virgin are sometimes added: 
Solo. 

QUB tuum presidium confugimus, sancta Dei genitrix. 
O Chorus. Sub tuum, &c. 

Solo. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitati- 
bus nostris. 

Chorus. Sub tuum, &,c. 

Solo. Sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper. Virgo 
gloriasa et benedicta. 
Chorus. Sub tuum, &c. 

The same in English. 

OHOLY Mother of our God ! 
To thee for help we fly ; 
Despise not this our humble prayer, 
But all our wants supply. 

O glorious Virgin, ever blessed ! 

Defend us from our foes ; 
From threatening danger set us free, 
And terminate our woes. 



OSANCTISSIMA, O purissima, 
Dulcis Virgo Maria ! 
Mater amata, intemerata, 
Ora, ora pro nobis ! 

Tota pulchra es, O Maria ! 
Et macula non est in te. 
Mater amata, &c. 

Sicut lilium inter spinas, 
Sic Maria inter filias. 
Mater amata, &c. 



Solo. 
Chorus. 

Solo. 

Chorus. 
Solo. 

Chorus. 



t 



HYMNS. 



759 



THE PLAINT OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 

STABAT Mater dolorosa. 
Juxta crucem lacrymosa, 
Dum pendebat films. 
Cujus animam gementem, 
Contristatam et dolentem, 
Pertransivit gladius. 

O quam tristis et afflicta, 
Fuit ilia berxedicta 

Mater unigeniti ! 
Quae mcerebat et dolebat, 
Pia mater, dum videbat 

Nati pcenas inclyti. 

Quis est homo qui non fleret, 
Christi matrem si videret 

In tanto supplicio ? 
Quis posset non contristari 
Piam matrem contemplari 

Dolentem cum fiiio ? 

Pro peceatis suae gentis, 
Vidit Jesum in tdrmentis, 

Et flagellis subditum. 
Vidit suum dulcem natum, 
Morientem, desolatum, 

Dum emisit spiritum. 

Eia mater, fons amoris, 
Me sentire v'm doloris 

Fac, ut tecum lugeam. 
Fac ut ardeat cor meum, 
In amando Christum Deum, 
Ut ilii complaceam. 

Sancta mater, istud agas, 
Crucifixi fige plagas 

Cordi meo valide. 
Tui Nati vulnerati, 
Tarn dig nati pro me pati, 

Pcenas mecum divide. 

Fac me tecum pie flere, 
Crucifixo condolere, 
Donee ego vixero. 



760 



HYMNS. 



Juxta crucem tecum stare, 
Et tibi me soeiare 

In planctu desidero. 

Virgo virginum praeclara, 
Mini jam non sis amara ; 

Fac me tecum plangere. 
Fac ut portem Christi mortem 
Passionis fac consortem. 

Et plagas recolere. 

Fac me plagis vulnerari, 
Fac me cruce inebriari, 

Et cruore filii. 
Infiammatus et accensus, 
Per te, Virgo, sim defensus, 

In die judicii. 

Fac me cruce custodiri, 
Morte Christi praemuniri, 

Confoveri gratia. 
Quando corpus morietur, 
Fac ut animae donetur 

Paradisi gloria. Amen. 
For the tratislaticn of this hymn, see p. 615. 



V Rentes tuorum visita, 
Imple superna gratia, 
Quae tu creasti pectora. 

Qui diceris Paraclitus, 
Altissimi donum Dei, 
Fons vivus, ignis, charitas, 
Et spiritalis unctio. 

Tu septiformis munere, 
Digitus Paternse dexteras ; 
Tu rite promissum Patris, 
Sermons ditans guttura. 

Accende lumen sensibus, 
Infunde amorem cordibus, 
Infirma nostri corporis 
Virtute firmans perpeti. 




WHIT-SUNDAY. 

ENI, Creator Spiritus. 



HYMNS. 



Hostem repellas longius, 
Pacemque dones protinus : 
Ductore sic te praevio 
Vitemus omne noxium. 

Per te sciamus da Patrem, 
Noscamus at que Filium ; 
Teque utriusque Spiritum 
Credamus omni tempore. 

Deo Patri sit gloria 
Et Filio qui a mortuis 
Surrexit, ac Paraclito, 
In sseculorum saecula. Amen. 

The same in E?igl~ish. 

SPIRIT, Creator of mankind, 
Come visit ev'ry pious mind, 
And sweetly let thy grace invade 
Our hearts, O Lord ! which thou hast made. 

Thou art the Comforter, whom all, 
Gift of the highest God, must call ; 
The living fountain, fire and love ; 
The ghostly unction from above ; 

God's sacred finger, which imparts 
A seven-fold grace to faithful hearts ; 
Thou art the Father's promise, whence 
We language have, ?nd eloquence. 

Enlighten, Lord, our souls, and grant 
That we thy love may never want ; 
Let not our virtue ever fail, 
But strengthen what in flesh is frail. 

Chase from our minds the infernal foe, 
And peace, the fruit of love, bestow; 
And lest our feet should step astray, 
Protect and guide us in the way. 

Make us eternal truths receive, 
And practise all that we believe : 
Give us thyself, that we may see 
The Father and the Son in thee. 

64* 



762 



HYMNS. 



Immortal honor, endless fame, 
Attend th' Almighty Father's name : 
To the Son equal praises be, 
And, holy Paraclete, to thee. Amen. 

SEQUENCE FOR WHIT-SUNDAY. 

YENI, sancte Spiritus 
Et emitte coelitus, 
Lucis tuae radium. 
Veni, pater pauperum, 
Veni, dator munerum, 
Veni, lumen cordium. 

Consolator optime, 
Dulcis hospes animas, 

Dulce refrigerium. 
In labore requies, 
In sestu temperies, 

In fletu solatium. 

O lux beatissima! 
Reple cordis intima, 

Tuorum fidelium. 
Sine tuo numine. 
Nihil est in homine, 

Nihil est innoxium. 

Lava quod est sordidum, 
Riga quod est aridum, 

Sana quod est saucium. 
Flecte quod est rigidum, 
Fove quod est frigidum, 

Rege quod est devium. 

Da tuis fidelibus, 
In te confidentibus. 

Sacrum septenarium. 
Da virtutis meritum, 
Da salutis exitum, 

Da perenne giudium. Amen. Alleluia. 

The same hi English. 

ClOME, Holy Ghost, send down those beams, * 
) Which sweetly flow in silent streams, 
From thy bright throne above ; 



HYMNS. 



763 



Come, thou, the father of the poor, 
Thou bounteous source of all our store, 
Come, fire our hearts with love. 

Come, thou, of comforters the best, 
Come, thou, the soul's delightful guest, 

The pilgrim's sweet relief. 
Thou art our rest in toil and sweat, 
Refreshment in excessive heat, 

And solace in our grief. 

O sacred light ! shoot home thy darts, 
Oh ! pierce the centre of these hearts, 

Whose faith aspires to thee. 
Without thy Godhead, nothing can 
Have any price or worth in man ; 

Nothing can harmless be. 

Lord, wash our sinful stains away ; 
Water from heaven our barren clay, 

Our wounds and bruises heal: 
To thy sweet yoke our stiff necks bend; 
T* inflame our cold hearts, thy fire send, 

Our wand'ring feet repeal. 

O grant thy faithful, dearest Lord, 
Whose only hope is thy sure word, 

The sev'n gifts of thy Spirit : 
Grant us in life t' obey thy grace ; 
Grant us at death to see thy face, 

And endless joys inherit. 

SEQUENCE FOR CORPUS CHRISTI. 

BREAK forth, O Sion ! thy sweet Saviour sing, 
Thy heav'nly Guide, thy Pastor and thy King; 
Exalt his name, and loudly sound his praise, 
In tuneful organs, and in vocal lays. 

Attempt the arduous theme, ascend as high, 
As soaring thoughts, or wings of faith can fly ; 
The wonder, then, above all praise confess, 
Immensely greater than thou canst express. 

Behold ! the living and life-giving bread, 
With solemn pomp on holy altars spread, 



764 



HYMNS. 



Now fills our song, a subject all-divine, 

In which the wonders of th' Almighty shine : 

The bread of life, which ev'ry faithful breast 
Believes was broken at the royal feast, 
When to the sacred college it was given, 
Alike to Judas and the dear eleven. 

With heart inflamed, now raise thy tuneful voice \ 
In nobler strains, and let thy soul rejoice ; 
Let ev'ry thing wunin thee jointly move, 
To bless the sweei invention of his love. 

Let age to age record the solemn day, 
And constant homage for the bounty pay ; 
When he first gave himself, in humble guise, 
At once both Sacrament and Sacrifice. 

Figures and types take wing and fly away, 
As darkness does at the approach of day : 
New heav'nly light new mysteries unfold, 
And the new Pascha terminates the old. 

What Christ then did, we celebrate the same, 
In his own words, and in his sacred name ; 
As he commanded the dread mystery 
Should be repeated to his majesty. 

And thus, by him who spoke, and all was made, 
Divinely taught, ,we consecrate the bread 
And wine into the soul's all-saving food, 
His glorious body and atoning blood. 

This sacred dogma we from him receive, 
(Nor can the oracles of truth deceive) 
That bread is changed (hence an outward sign) 
Into his flesh, and into blood the wine. 

What reason reaches not, nor sense descries, 
Faith's purer light abundantly supplies : 
Above all nature we confess his sway, 
Bow down our heart ; 'tis fit we should obey. 

The narrow compass of two forms, mere signs, 
Not real things, th' Incarnate Word defines, 
Th' exhaustless source, and sweetest overflow 
Of all good things that heaven can bestow. 



HYMNS. 



765 



His deified true flesh and precious blood, 
Immortal and immortalizing food, 
Is meat and drink indeed, and wholly thine, 
Under the sep'rate forms of bread and wine. 

Impassible's the Victim we adore, 
Unaltered by touch, nor broke nor tore ; 
But Jesus whole, in veiled majesty, 
Each one receives ; stupendous prodigy ! 

Let thousands feed ; — be thou the only guest, 
As much thou dost receive as ail the rest ; 
Unnumbered thousands eat, yet still they leave 
The unconsumed whole, they did receive. 

Both good and bad to this blest banquet come ; 
But how unlike, how different their doom ! 
For 'tis as we approach, as fees or friends, 
The alternative of life or death depends. 

The heavenly bread, that sweet enliv'ning food, 
Is to the unworthy, death ; — life to the good : 
Then ponder well the different event, 
Of like receiving this dread Sacrament. 

Whenever this blest Sacrament shall lie 
In different, parcels, broke before your eye, 
Then waver not, remember there remains, 
Under each fragment, what the whole contains, 
The same sweet Jesus, who in glory reigns. 

Lo ! then, man ! involved in rapture see 

The bread of Angels thus made food for thee ; 

Food to refresh the pilgrim on his way 

To the blest regions of eternal day ; 

A sweet viatic : a divine repast ; 

True children's bread, to dogs not to be cast. 

Wrapt up in types/ the Lamb long figured lay, 
Till circling years the shadows drove aw 7 ay. 
In Isaac 'twas in lively figure slain, 
And in the Paschal Lamb, it bled again; 
The ancient fathers too, in manna eat, 
In type, or figure, this life-giving meat. 

Good Pastor, then, true bread, sweet Jesus show, 
Thy tenderest mercies to thy sheep below ; 



766 



HYMNS. 



Feed and defend us here, that we may see 

Good things, with those, who live and reign with thee 

In heavenly regions, ever there to spend, 

In joys celestial, years that never end. 

thou all-good, all-potent, and all- wise ! 
Who feedest us here, with thine own sacrifice, 
Make us sit down with thee amongst the blessed, 
At thine own table, in eternal rest ; 

Where we with them, thy glory may adore, 
Companions and co-heirs, for evermore. 

ON THE HOLY EUCHARIST. 

TN this unfathom'd mystery, 

1 Where faith bids us adore ; 
Consumed each heart before thee, 

Each heart reveres thy power. 

When death shall burst this prison ; 
When we from clay have risen ; 

Fed by thy love and cherished by thy grace, 
At length in peaceful Sion, 

May we behold thy face. 

Tho' veiled thy beams in darkness, 

Abased the God above, 
We bow before thy greatness, 

And burn before thy love. 
When death, &c. 

August and tender victim, 

Teach us to spurn our toys ; 
Teach us that deepest wisdom 

Which guides the deathless joys. 

And death this frame consuming, 
And death this frame entombing, 

Show forth thy love, exalt us to thy throne, 
By thee new life resuming, 

Conduct us pilgrims home. 

JESUS, SAVIOUR OF MY SOUL. 

JESUS, Saviour of my soul, 
Let me to thy refuge fly ; 
While the nearer waters roll, g 
While the tempest still is nigh: 



HYMNS. 



767 



Hide me, O my Saviour ! hide, 

Till the storm of life is past ; 
Safe into thy haven guide, 

Oh ! receive my soul at last. 

Other refuge have I none ; 

Hangs my helpless soul on thee : 
Leave, ah leave me not alone, 

Still support and comfort me : 
All my trust on thee is stayed, 

All my help from thee I bring ; 
Cover my defenceless head, 

With the shadow of thy wing. 

FOR COMMUNION. 

OH ! what could my Jesus do more, 
Or what greater blessings impart ? 
Oh ! silence, my soul, and adore, 
And press him still near to thy heart. 

'Tis here from my labors I'll rest, 

Since he makes my poor heart his abode ; 

To him all my cares I'll address, 
And speak to the heart of my God. 

For life and for death thou art mine, 

My Saviour, I'm sealed with thy blood; 

Till eternity on me doth shine, 
I'll feed on the flesh of my God. 

In Jesus triumphant I live ; 

In Jesus exultingly die ; 
The terrors of death calmly brave ; 

In his bosom breathe out my last sigh. 

THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS. 

JESUS, the only thought of thee, 
With sweetness fills my breast ; 
But sweeter far it is to see, 
And on thy beauty feast. 
No sound, no harmony so gay, 

Can art of music frame ; 
No thoughts can reach, no words can say, 
The sweets of thy blest name. 



708 



HYMNS. 



Jesus, our hope when we repent; 

Sweet source of all our grace ; 
Sole comfort in our banishment ; 

O what, when face to face ! 
Jesus, that name inspires my mind 

With springs of life and light, 
More than I ask in thee I find. 

I'm ravish' d with delight. 

No art or eloquence of man 

Can tell the joys of love : 
Only the Saints can understand, 

What they in Jesus prove. 
Thee then I'll seek, retired apart, # 

From world and business free ; 
When these shall knock, I'll shut my heart, 

And keep it all for thee. 

Before the morning light I'll come 

With Magdalen, to find, 
In sighs and tears, my Jesus' tomb, 

And there refresh my mind. 
My tears upon his grave shall flow, 

My sighs the garden fill ; 
Then at his feet myself I'll throw; 

And there I'll seek his will. 

Jesus, in thy blest steps I'll tread, 

And walk in all thy ways ; 
I'll never cease to weep and plead, 

Till I'm restored to ^race. 
O King of love ! thy blessed fire 

Does such sweet flames excite, 
That first it raises the desire, 

Then fills it with delight. 

Come then, dear Lord, possess my heart, 
Chase thence the shades of night ; 

Come, pierce it with thy flaming dart, 
And ever-shining light. Amen. 

TO ST. JOSEPH. 

T*T OLY Patron, thee saluting, 
JUL Here we meet with hearts sincere ; 
Blessed St. Joseph, all uniting, 
Call on thee to hear our prayer. 



HYMNS. 



769 



Chorus. 

Happy Saint, in bliss adoring 

Jesus, Saviour of mankind, 
Hear thy children thee imploring, 

May we thy protection find. 

Worldly dangers for them fearing, 
Youthful hearts to thee we bring ; 

Grant in virtue persevering, 
Vice may ne'er their bosom sting, 
Chorus. Happy Saint, &c. 

You, who faithfully attended 

Him, whom heaven and earth adore, 

You with pious care defended 
Jesus dear, and Mary pure. 
Chorus. Happy Saint, &c. 

May our fervent prayers, ascending, 
Move thee for our souls to plead ; 

And thy smile of peace descending, 
Benedictions on us shed. 
Chorus. Happy Saint, &c. 

Through this life, oh ! watch around us ; 

Fill with love our every breath ; 
And when parting fear surrounds us, 

Guide us through the toils of death. 
Chorus. Happy Saint, &c. 

LIKE THE CHILDREN OF SION. 

LIKE the children of Sion on Babylon's shore, 
When Jerus'lem their country smiled round them no 
more ; 

Their harps were all lonely, and wet with their tears, 
And their bosoms w T ere harrowed with sorrows and fears. ] 

So in the dark shade of this valley of life, 

I recline me, and think of my country above ; 

Had I wings like the dove, I should fly from this strife, 

And repose in the arms of contentment and love. 

Oh ! when to thy beautiful visions I turn, 
For thee, like the love-stricken turtle I mourn. 
Oh ! when from the storms of this world shall I flee ? 
And who will restore me, Jerus'lem, to thee ? 

65 



770 



HYMNS. 



FOR ST. VINCENT. 

li/TILD and serene, ye angels appear, 
It I Assist us with your heav'nly power. 
To sing his praise, whom to-day we revere, 
On thee we call, St. Vincent of Paul, 
Aid and protect us ; 
May we from thee, 
Learn blest charity : 
Holy patron, hear our prayer. 

In thy blest bosom all virtue reigned; 

Thou wert the helpless orphan's father; 
Thou wert the cheerless widow's friend, 
And slavery, comforted by thee, 
Found peace in its fetters. 
May we, &c. 

Youth and old age from thee found relief ; 

Oft by zealous endeavors reclaiming 
The sinner from vice, to a contrite return. 
Thus you restored to its Master and Lord, 
The soul that was straying. 
May we, &c. 

Teach us thy lessons of grace to improve, 

Still more and more in our bosoms increasing, 
Life shall pass on in our Jesus' love, 
Till we with thee, in eternity, 
Will adore him for ever. 
May we, &c. 

JERUSALEM. 

JERUSALEM, my happy home, 
How do I sigh for thee ! 
When shall my exile have an end, 
Thy joys when shall I see ! 
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 
Jerusalem, my happy home, 
How do I sigh for thee. 

No sun, no moon, in borrowed light, 

Revolve thine hours away ; 
The Lamb on Calvary's mountain slain, 

Is thy eternal day. Jerusalem, &c. 



HYMNS. 



From every eye He wipes the tear, 

All sighs and sorrows cease ; 
No more alternate hope or fear, 

But everlasting peace. Jerusalem, &e 

The thought of thee to us is given, 

Our sorrows to beguile ; 
T' anticipate the bliss of heaven, 

In His eternal smile. Jerusalem, &c, 



HYMN TO OUR GUARDIAN ANGEL. 

OGOD ! how ought my grateful heart, 
To praise thy bounteous hand, 
Who send' st thy angel from above, 
To be my guide and friend. 

My soul is surely something great, 

Meant for eternity : 
That angels thus should be employed, 

In watching over me. 

Whilst I a helpless infant was, 

With every tender care, 
Ke guarded round my cradle's side ; 

No evil could come near. 

Protected by his heavenly aid, 

How safe my infancy ! 
Though death and danger raged around, 

They harmless passed by me. 

When I, within my mother's arms, 

Enjoyed her fond embrace ; 
He, hovering round on airy wings, 

Divinely did me bless. 

When first I from my mother learnt, 

My Jesus' name to praise, 
He softly whispered to my heart, 

" How sweet are all his ways !" 

And when the morning from the east 

Sends forth her golden rays ; 
Teach me to raise my heart to God, 

And sing his glorious praise, 



772 



HYMNS. 



And while the sun with brighter beam 
Is shining through the day ; 

Let every action, every thought, 
My love to him display. 

In evening when the cooling breeze 

Invites to sweet repose ; 
May I, in grateful thanks to him, 

My wearied eyelids close. 

Celestial Guardian, thus with thee, 

And by thy constant care, 
May I the world's corruption flee 

And heav'nly blessings share. 



HYMN OF THANKSGIVING. 

THEE, sovereign God. we grateful praise, 
And greet thee, Lord, in festive lays ; 
To thee, great Sire, earth's boundless fame 
With echoes sounds immortal fame : 

Lord God of hosts, the heavenly pow'rs | 



For thee -vibrate the vaulted tosv'rs. 



Cherub and Seraph throned on high, 
Still holy, holy, holy cry. 
Both heaven and earth aloud display 
Thy beauty, grandeur, majesty; 

Thy praises fill th' Apostles' choir; 

The Prophets in. the song conspire. 

The crimsoned band in chorus shine, 
And vocal blood with music join : 
By these inspired with heav'nly art, 
Thy Church maintains a second part, 

And tunes her notes, O God ! for thee, 

Father of boundless majesty. 

The Son, copartner of thy seat, 

And th' equal, endless Paraclete ; 

Thou King of glory, Christ most high: 

Thou coeternal Deity ; 

Thou, who t' avert the world's dread doom, 
Didst dwell within a virgin's womb. 



HYMNS. 



773 



The tyrant death before thee flew, 
And heaven unbarred, her foldings drew, 
To guide the faithful in thy way, 
From God's right hand thy beams display ; 

Thou art to judge both quick and dead ; 

Spare us, for whom thy blood was shed. 

Oh ! grant us, with the Saints above, 

To share thy everlasting love ; 

Save, Lord, thy people, and enhance 

Thy grace on thy inheritance. 

For ever rule and guide their ways, 
Each day we'll chaunt aloud thy praise. 

No age shall fail t' extol thy name, 
No hour neglect thy lasting fame. 
Preserve us, Lord, this day from ill, 
Have mercy, Lord, have mercy still. 

As we have hoped, so crown our pain ; 

Let not our hope in thee be vain. 

HYMN IN HONOR OF ST. MICHAEL.* 

TE, splendor et virtus Patris, 
Te vita, Jesu, cordium, 
Ab ore qui pendent tuo, 
Laudamus inter Angelos. 

Tibi mille densa millium 
Ducum corona militat ; 
Sed explicat victor Crucem 
Michael salutis signifer. 

Draconis hie dirum caput 
In ima pellit tartara, 
Ducemque cum rebellibus 
Ccelesti ab arce fulminat. 

Contra ducem superb ise 
Sequamur hunc nos principem, 
Ut detur ex Agni throno 
Nobis corona glorias. 



* Indulgence No. XXIX. p. 564, is attached to the reci- 
tation of this hymn. 

65* 



774 



HYMNS. 



Patri, simulque Filio, 
Tibique sancte Spiritus, 
Sicut fuit, sit jugiter 
Saeclum per orane gloria. Amen. 



Ant. Princeps gloriosissime, Michael Archangele, esto 
memor nostri: hie, et ubique semper precare pro nobis 
Filium Dei. 

"f". In conspectu Angelorum psallam tibi, Deus meus. 
P. Adorabo ad templum sanctum tuum, et confitebor 
nomini tuo. 



EUS, qui miro ordine, Angelorum ministeria homi- 



tibi ministrantibus in ccelo semper assistitur, ab his in 
terra vita nostra muniatur. Per Dominum, &c. 



HYMX IX HONOR OF ST. JOSEPH.* 



In fine laetus expetit, 
Opem Josephi postulet. 

Hie Sponsus almas Virgini3, 
Paterque Jesu creditus, 
Justus, fidelis, integer, 
Quod poscit orans impetrat. 

Quicumque, &c. 

Fceno jacentem parvulum 
Adorat, et post exulem 
Soiatur : inde perditum 
Quaerit dolens. et invenit. 

Quicumque, &c. 

3Iundi supremus artifex 
Ejus labore pascitur, 
Summi parentis Filius 
Obedit iili subditus. 

Quicumque, &c. 



* The Indulgence which may be gained by those who 
say this hymn may be found on p. 570, No, XIII. 



OREMUS. 




propitius, ut a. quibus 




HYMNS. 



775 



Adesse morti proximus 
Cum Matre Jesum conspicit, 
Et inter ipsos jubilans 
Dulci sopore solvitur. 

Quicumque, &c. 

Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui sancto. 
Quicumque, &c. 

Ant. Ecee fidelis servus et prudens, quem constituit Do- 
minus super familiam suam. 

if. Ora pro nobis, beate Joseph. 

p. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi. 

OREMUS. 

DEUS, qui ineffabili providentia beatum Joseph sanc- 
tissimas Genitricis tuag sponsum eligere dignatus es ; 
praesta, quaesumus, ut quem protectorem veneramur in 
terris, intercessorem habere mereamur in coelis : Qui vivis 
et regnas, etc. 

HYMN OF THANKSGIVING. 

TE Deum laudamus : * te Dominum confitemur. 
Te aeternum Patrem, * omnis terra veneratur. 
Tibi omnes Angeli : * tibi coeli, et universes potestates : 
Tibi Cherubim et Seraphim * incessabili voce proclamant, 
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, * Dominus Deus Sabaoth. 
Pleni sunt cceii et terra * majestatis gloriae tuae. 
Te gloriosus * Apostolorum chorus ; 
Te Prophetarum * laudabilis numerus ; 
Te Martyrum candidatus * laudat exercitus ; 
Te per orbem terrarum * sancta confitetur Ecclesia, 
Patrem * immensae majestatis ; 
Venerandum tuum verum * et unicum Filium, 
Sanctum quoque * Paraclitum Spiritum. 
Tu Rex gloriae, * Christe. 
Tu Patris * sempiternus es Filius. 

Tu, ad liberandum suscepturus hominem, * non horruisti 

Virginis uterum. 
Tu, devicto mortis aculeo, * aperuisti credentibus regna 

coelorum. 

Tu ad dexteram Dei sedes * in gloria Patris. 
Judex crederis * esse venturus. 



we 



HYMNS. 



Te ergo quaesumus, tuis famulis subveni, * quos pretioso 

sanguine redemisti. 
Sterna fac cum Sanctis tuis * in gloria numerari. 
Salvum fac populum tuum, Domine, * et benedic heredi- 

tati tua3. 

Et rege eos, et extolle illos * usque in aeternum. 
Per singulos dies, * benedicimus te. 

Et laudamus nomen tuum in sasculum, * et in saeculum 

saeculi. 

Dignare, Domine, die isto * sine peccato nos custodire. 

Miserere nostri Domine, * miserere nostri. 

Fiat misericordia tua, Domini, super nos : * quemadmodum 

speravimus in te. 
In te, Domine, speravi : * non confundar in asternum. 
"i?. Benedicamus Patrem, et Filium, cum sancto Spiritu. 
Laudemus et superexaltemus eum in saecula. 

OREMUS. 

TPvEUS, cujus misericordiae non est numerus, et bonita- 
JLr tis infinitus est thesaurus : piissimae majestati tuae 
pro collatis donis gratias agimus, tuam semper clementiam 
exorantes ; ut qui petentibus postulata concedis, eosdem 
non deserens, ad praemia futura disponas. Per Dominum 
nostrum. 

The same in English. 
E praise thee, O God ! we acknowledge thee to be 
our Lord. 

All the earth worships thee, the Father everlasting. 

To thee all the Angels cry aloud ; the heavens, and all 

the heavenly powers : 
To thee the Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry 
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth. 
Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory 
The glorious choir of the Apostles praise thee ; 
The admirable company of the Prophets praise thee ; 
The noble army of the Martyrs praise thee. 
The holy Church throughout the world acknowledges thee, 
The Father of infinite majesty ; 
Thy adorable, true and only Sen ; 
Also, the Holy Ghost, the Comforter. 
Thou, O Christ ! art the King of Glory. 
Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father. 
When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man, thou didst 

not disdain the Virgin's womb. 




HYMNS. 



777 



Having overcome the sting of death, thou didst open the 

kingdom of heaven to all believers. 
Thou sittest at the right hand of God, in the glory of the 

Father. 

We believe that thou shalt come to be our Judge. 

We therefore pray thee to help thy servants, whom thou 
hast redeemed with thy precious blood. 

Make them to be numbered with thy Saints in glory ever- 
lasting. 

Save thy people, Lord! and bless thy inheritance. 
Govern them, and raise them up for ever. 
Every day we bless thee. 
And we praise thy name for ever and ever. 
Vouchsafe, Lord ! this day. to keep us without sin. 
Have mercy on us, O Lord ! have mercy on us. 
Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have hoped in 
thee : 

In thee, Lord ! I have hoped ; let me never be con- 
founded. 

y. Let us frless the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. 
P. Let us praise and extol him for ever. 

LET US PRAY. 

/~\ GOD! whose mercies are without number, and the 
\_J treasure of whose goodness is infinite : we give thee 
thanks for the blessings thou hast bestowed on us : always 
beseeching thy divine Majesty, that, as thou grantest what 
we ask, so thou wouldst continue thy favors to us, in such 
a manner that by them we may be prepared for receiving 
the rewards of eternal happiness. Through Christ our 
Lord. Amen. 



COMPLIN. 



Lector incipit : Jube Dom- The reader begins: Pray, 

ne benedicere. Benedictio: Father, give me your bless- 

Noctem quietam et finem ing. The Messing: May our 

perfectum concedat nobis Almighty Lord grant us a 

Dominus omnipotens. quiet night, and a happy end. 

P. Amen. Amen. 

The Short Lesson, 1 Pet* v. 



FRATRES, sobrii estote 
et vigilate : quia adver- 
sarius vester diabolus tam- 
quam leo rugiens circuit, 
quaerens quern devoret : cui 
resistite fortes in fide. Tu 
autem Domine 7 miserere no- 
bis. 

1$. Deo gratias. 

y. Adjutorium nostrum in 
nomine Domini. 

P. Qui fecit cesium et ter- 
rain. Pater noster, secreto. 



TjjRETHREN, be sober, 
8) and watch ; because 
your adversary the devil, as 
a roaring lion/goeth about, 
seeking whom he may de- 
vour ; whom resist ye, strong 
in faith. And thou, O Lord, 
have mercv on us. 

B. Thanks be to God. 

y. Our help is in the 
name of the Lord. 

p. Who made heaven and 
earth. Our Father, secretly. 



Then the Priest makes the Confession: 

CONFITEOR Deo om- T CONFESS to Almighty 
nipotenti, &c. JL God, &c. 

The Choir answer: 
1% /flSEREATUR tui om- TMTAY Almighty God 
JjJ_ nipotens Deus, et di- J_tX have mercy on you, 
missis peccatis tuis, perducat forgive you your sins, and 
te ad vitam aeternam. bring you to everlasting life. 

Amen. Amen. 

Then they repeat the Confession: 

CONFITEOR Deo om- T CONFESS to Almighty 
nipotenti, beatee Mariae JL God, to blessed Mary 
778 



COMPLIN. 



779 



ever Virgin, to blessed 
Michael the Archangel, to 
blessed John the Baptist, to 
the holy Apostles Peter and 
Paul, to all the Saints, and 
to you, Father, that I have 
sinned exceedingly in 
thought, word and deed, 
through my fault, through 
my fault, through my most 
grievous fault. Therefore I 
beseech the blessed Mary 
ever Virgin, the blessed 
Michael the Archangel, the 
blessed John the Baptist, the 
holy Apostles Peter and 
Paul, all the Saints and you, 
Father, to pray to the Lord, 
our God, for me. 

After the Choir have recited the Confiteor, the Priest says: 



semper Virgini, beato Mi- 
chaeli Archangelo, beato 
Joanni Baptistae, Sanctis 
Apostolis Petro et Paulo, 
omnibus Sanctis, et tibi 
pater, quia peccavi nimis 
cogitatione, verbo et opere : 
mea culpa, mea culpa, mea 
maxima culpa. Ideo precor 
beatam Mariam semper Vir- 
ginem, beatum Michaelem 
Archangelum, beatum Joan- 
nem Baptistam, sanctos 
Apostolus Petrum et Pau- 
lum, omnes Sanctos, et te 
pater, orare pro me ad Do- 
minum Deum nostrum. 



j^JISEREATUR vestri, 

Indulgentiam, absolutio- 
nem et remissionem pecca- 
torum nostrorum tribuat no- 
bis omnipotens et misericors 
Dominus. Amen. 

Y. Convene nos, Deus 
salutaris noster. 

Et averte iram tuam a 

nobis. 

y. Deus, in adjutorium 
meum intende. 

Domine, ad adjuvan- 
dum me festina. Gloria 
Patri, &c. 

Ant, Miserere. 

PSALMUS 4. 

CUM invocarem, exaudi- 
vit me Deus justitiae 
niece : * in tribulatione dila- 
tasti mihi. 



jy^AY Almighty God, 

May the Almighty and 
merciful Lord give us par- 
don, absolution and remis- 
sion of our sins. Amen. 

~f. Convert us, O God, 
our Saviour. 

fy. And turn off thy anger 
from us. 

"5^. Incline unto my aid, 
O God! 

Tfi. O Lord, make haste to 
help me. Glory be to the 
Father, &c. 

Ant. Have mercy. 

Psalm 4. 
HEN I called upon 



w 1 



him, the God of my 
justice heard me : when I 
was in distress thou hast en- 
larged me. 



780 



COMPLIN. 



Miserere mei, * et exaudi 
orationem meam. 

Filii homirmm, usquequo 
gravi corde ? * Ut quid dili- 
gitis vanitatem, et quseritis 
mendacium ? 

Et scitote quoniam mirifi- 
cavit Dominus sanctum su- 
um: * Dominus exaudiet 
me, cum clamavero ad eum. 

Irascimini, et nolite pec- 
care : * quae dicitis in cordi- 
bus vestris, in cubilibus ves- 
tris compungimini. 

Sacrificate sacrificium jus- 
titiae, et sperate in Domino. 

* Multi dicunt : Quis os- 
tendit nobis bona ? 

Signatum est super nos 
lumen vultus tui, Domine : 

* dedisti laetitiam in corde 
meo. 

A fructu frumenti, vini, et 
olei sui * multiplicati sunt. 

In pace in idipsum * dor- 
miam, et requiescam. 

Quoniam tu Domine sin- 
gulariter in spe * constituisti 
me. 

Psalmus 30. 

IN te Domine speravi, non 
confundar in seternum : * 
in justitia tua libera me. 

Inclina ad me aurem tu- 
am, * accelera ut eruas me. 

Esto mihi in Deum protec- 
torem, et in domum refugii, 

* ut salvum me facias. 
Quoniam fortitudo mea, et 

refugium meum es tu : * et 



Have mercy on me, and 
hear my prayer. 

O ye sons of men, how 
long will you be dull of 
heart ? Why do you love 
vanity, and seek after lying ? 

Know ye also, that the 
Lord haifi made his Holy 
One wonderful : the Lord 
will hear me, when I shall 
cry unto him. 

Be ye angry, and sin not: 
the things you say in your 
hearts, be sorry fgr them 
upon your beds. 

Offer up the sacrifice of 
justice, and trust in the 
Lord : many say, Who 
showeth us good things ? 

The light of thy counte- 
nance, O Lord ! is signed 
upon us : thou hast given 
gladness in my heart. 

By the fruit of their corn, 
their wine and oil, they are 
multiplied. 

In peace in the self-same 
I will sleep and I will rest. 

For thou, O Lord ! singu- 
larly hast settled me in 
hope. 

Psalm 30. 

IN thee, Lord ! have I 
hoped, let me never be 
confounded: deliver me in 
thy justice. 

Bow down thy ear to me : 
make haste to deliver me. 

Be thou unto me a God, a 
protector, and a house. of re- 
fuge to save me. 

For thou art my strength 
and my refuge ; and for thy 



COMPLIN. 



781 



propter nomen tuum deduces 
me. et enutries me. 

Educes me de laqueo hoc 
quern absconderunt mihi : * 
quoniam tu es protector 
meus. 

In manus tuas commendo 
spiritum meum : * redemisti 
me Domine Deus veritatis. 

PSALMUS 90. 

QUI habitat in adjutorio 
Altissimi, * in protec- 
tione Dei cceli commorabi- 
tur. 

Dicet Domino: Susceptor 
meus es tu, et refugium me- 
um : * Deus meus, sperabo 
in eum. 

Quoniam ipse liberavit me 
de laqueo venantium, * et a 
verbo aspero. 

Scapulis suis obumbrabit 
tibi: * et sub pennis ejus 
sperabis. 

Scuto circumdabit te Veri- 
tas ejus : non timebis s 
timore nocturno ; 

A sagitta volante in die, a 
negotio perambulante in 
tenebris, * ab incursu, et 
daimonio meridiano. 

Cadent a latere tuo mille, 
et decern millia a dextris 
tuis : * ad te autem non ap- 
propinquabit. 

Verumtamen oculis tuis 
considerabis : * et retributio- 
nem peccatorum videbis. 

Quoniam tu es Domine 



name's sake thou wilt lead 
me, and nourish me. 

Thou wilt bring me out of 
this snare, which they have 
hidden for me; for thou art 
my protector. 

Into thy hands I commend 
my spirit ; thou hast re- 
deemed me, O Lord, the 
God of truth. 

Psalm 90. 

TTE that dwelleth in the 
JjL aid of the Most High 
shall abide under the protec- 
tion of the God of heaven. 

He shall say to the Lord : 
Thou art my protector and 
my refuge : my God, in him 
will I trust. 

For he hath delivered me 
from the snare of the hunters, 
and from the sharp word. 

He will overshadow thee 
with his shoulders : and 
under his wings thou shalt 
trust. 

His truth shall compass 
thee with a shield : thou 
shalt not be afraid of the ter- 
ror of the night ; 

Of the arrow that flieth in 
the day ; of the business that 
walketh about in the dark , 
of invasion, or of the noon- 
day devil. 

A thousand shall fall at thy 
side, and ten thousand at thy 
right hand : but it shall not 
come nigh thee. 

But thou shalt consider 
with thy eyes : and shalt see 
the reward of the wicked. 

Because thou. O Lord ! art 



782 



COMPLIN. 



spes mea :* altissimum posu- 
isti refugium tuum. 

Non accedet ad te malum : 
* et flagellum non appro- 
pinquabit tabernaculo tuo. 

Quoniam Angelis suis 
mandavit de te : * ut custo- 
diant te in omnibus viis tuis. 

In manibus portabunt te, * 
ne forte offendas ad lapidern 
pedem tuum. 

Super aspidem et basilis- 
cum ambulabis : * et concul- 
cabis leonem et draconem. 

Quoniam in me speravit, 
liberabo eum : * protegam 
eum, quoniam cognovit no- 
men meum. 

Clamabit ad me, et ego ex- 
audiam eum: * cum ipso 
sum in tribulatione : eripiam 
eum, et glorificabo eum. 

Longitudine dierum re- 
plebo eum: * et ostendam 
illi salutare meum. 

PSALMUS 133. 

ECCE nunc benedicite 
Dominum, * omnes ser- 
vi Domini. 

Qui statis in domo Domi- 
ni, * in atriis domus Dei 
nostri. 

In noctibus extollite manus 
vestras in sancta, * et bene- 
dicite Dominum. 

Benedicat te Dominus ex 
Sion, * qui fecit ccelum et 
terram. 

Ant. Miserere mihi Domi- 
ne, et exaudi orationem me- 
am. 



my hope : thou hast made 
the Most High thy refuge. 

There shall no evil come to 
thee : nor shall the scourge 
come near thy dwelling. 

For heliath given his An- 
gels charge over thee ; to 
keep thee in all thy ways. 

In their hands they shall 
bear thee up ; lest thou dash 
thy foot against a stone. 

Thou shalt walk upon the 
asp and the basilisk, and 
thou shalt trample under foot 
the lion and the dragon. 

Because he hoped in me, I 
will deliver him : I will pro- 
tect him, because he hath 
known my name. 

He shall cry to me, and 1 
will hear him : I am with him 
in tribulation : I will deliver 
him, and I will glorify him. 

1 will fill him with length 
of days : and I will show him 
my salvation. 

Psalm 133. 

"OEHOLD, now bless ye 
Jt5 the Lord, all ye servants 
of the Lord, 

Who stand in the house 
of the Lord, in the courts qI 
the house of our God. 

In the nights lift up your 
hands to the holy places, and 
bless ye the Lord. 

May the Lord out of Sion 
bless thee, he that made hea- 
ven and earth. 

Ant. Have mercy on me, 
O Lord ! and hear my 
prayer. 



COMPLIN. 



783 



THE HOIN. 



TE lucis ante terminum, 
Rerum Creator, posci- 
mus, 

Ut pro tua dementia, 
Sis praesul et custodia. 



Procul recedant somnia, 
Et noctium phantasmata ; 
Hostemque nostrum corn- 
prime, 
Ne polluantur corpora. 



Preesta, Pater piissime, 
Patrique compar Unice, 
Cum Spiritu Paraclito 
Regnans per omne saeculum. 
Amen. 



TO thee, before the close 
of day, 

Creator of the world, we 
pray : 

With wonted mercy us di- 
rect, 

And from nocturnal harms 
protect. 

Let no vain dreams disturb 

our sleep, 
And nightly phantoms from 

us keep : 
Satan repel, that by his 

wiles, 

Our bodies know not what 
defiles. 

Merciful Father, bend thy 
ear ; 

Coequal Son, our prayers 
hear ; 

O holy Spirit hear our cry, 
Who live all three eternally. 
Amen. 



The Little Chapter. Jer. xiv. 



TU autem in nobis es Do- 
mine, et no men sanctum 
tuum invocatum est super 
nos : ne derelinquas nos Do- 
mine Deus noster. 
P. Deo gratias. 
^ breve. In manus tuas 
Domine, commendo spiritum 
meum. In manus tuas Do- 
mine, commendo spiritum 
meum. 

"J^". Redemistinos Domine 
Deus veritatis. Commendo 
spiritum meum. Gloria Pa- 
tri, et Filio, et Spirituisanc- 



THOU, O Lord, art 
among us, and thy holy 
name has been invoked upon 
us : forsake us not O Lord, 
our God ! 

The short Into thy 
hands, O Lord, I commend 
my spirit. Into thy hands, 

Lord, I commend my spi- 
rit. 

f. Thou hast redeemed 
us, O Lord the God of truth. 

1 commend my spirit. Glory 
be to the Father and to the 



784 



COMPLIN. 



to. In manus tuas Domine, 
commendo spiritum raeum. 

"jr. Custodi nos Domine ut 
pupillam oculi. 

Sub umbra alarum tua- 
rum protege nos. 

Ant. Salva nos. 



Son, and to the Holy Ghost. 
Into thy hands, O Lord, I 
commend my spirit. 

J. Keep us, O Lord, as 
the apple of thy eye. 

1^. Protect us under the 
shadow of thy wings. 

Ant. Save us. 



The Song of i 

""jVrUNC dimittis servum 
J_ ^| tuum Domine, * secun- 
dum verbum tuum in pace : 

Quia viderunt oculi rnei * 
salutare tuum, 

Quod parasti * ante faciem 
omnium populorum ; 

Lumen ad revelationem 
Gentium ; * et gloriam plebis 
tuae Israel. 

Gloria Patri, &c. 

Ant. Salva nos Domine vi- 
gilantes, custodi nos dormi- 
entes : ut vigilemus cum 
Christo, et requiescamus in 
pace. 

Kyrie eleison. 

Christe eleison. 

Kyrie eleison. 

Pater noster, secreto. 

"jr. Et ne nos inducas in 
tentationem. 

p:. Sed libera nos a malo. 
Credo in Deum, secreto. 

~f. Carnis resurrectionem. 

9*. Vitam asternam. Amen. 

y. Benedictus es Domine 
Deus patrum nostrorum. 

9. Et laudabilis et glorio- 
sus in sascula. 

~f. Benedicamus Patrem 



[me on. Luke ii. 

NOW thou dost dismiss 
thy servant, O Lord ! 
according to thy word in 
peace. 

Because my eyes have seen 
thy salvation ; 

Which thou hast prepared 
before the face of all people ; 

A light to the revelation 
of the Gentiles, and to the 
glory of thy people Israel. 

Glory be to the Father, &c. 

Ant. Save us, O Lord ! 
waking, and keep us sleep- 
ing, that we may watch with 
Christ, and rest in peace. 

Lord, have mercy on us. 
Christ, have mercy on us. 
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Our Father, secretly. 

"jr. And lead us not into 
temptation. 

P. B ut deliver us from evil. 
I believe in God, secretly. 

jr. The resurrection 01 the 
body. 

Life everlasting, Amen. 

J. Thou art blessed, O 
Lord ! the God of our fathers. 

9- And thou art worthy of 
praise, and glorious for ever. 

"jr. Let us bless the Father 



COMPLIN. 



785 



et Filium, cum sancto Spi- 
ritu. 

P. Laudemus, et superex- 
altemus eum in ssecula. 

y. Benedictus es Domine 
in firmarnento coeli. 

Tfr. Et laudabilis, et glorio- 
sus et superexaltatus in sas- 
cula. 

y. Benedicat et custodiat 
nos omnipotens et misericors 
Dominus. 

B. Amen. 

y. Dignare Domine nocte 
ista. 

P. Sine peccato nos custo- 
dire. 

y. Miserere nostri Domi- 
ne. 

JJ. Miserere nostri. 

y. Fiat misericordia tua 
Domine super nos. 

1$. Quemadmodum spera- 
vimus in te. 

~fy. Domine exaudi oratio- 
nem meam. 

9. Et clamor meus ad te 
veniat. 

~f. Dominus vobiscum. 
Et cum spiritu tuo. 

REMUS. 

YISITA, quassumus Do- 
mine, habitationem is- 
tam, etomnes insidias inimi- 
ci ab ea longe repelle : An- 
geli tui sancti habitent in ea, 
qui nos in pace custodiant : 
et benedictio tua sit super 
nos semper. Per Dominum. 
y. Dominus vobiscum. 
R. Et cum spiritu tuo. 
y. Benedicamus Domino. 



and the Son, with the Holy 
Ghost. 

P. Let us praise and exalt 
him for ever. 

J. Thou art blessed, O 
Lord, in the firmament of 
Heaven. 

I£. And thou art worthy 
of praise, and glorious, and 
to tie exalted for ever. 

y. May the Almighty and 
merciful Lord bless and pre- 
serve us. 

P. Amen. 

y. Vouchsafe, O Lord, to 
keep us this night, 
Tfr. Without sin. 

'f'. Have mercy on us, O 
Lord! 

I£. Have mercy on us. 

y . Let thy mercy, Lord ! 
be shown upon us. 

1^. As we have put our 
trust in thee. 

~f. O Lord ! hear my pray- 
er. 

And let my cry come 
unto thee. 

~f. The Lord be with you. 
And with thy spirit. 

LET US PRAY. 

VISIT, we beseech thee, 
O Lord ! this habitation, 
and remove far from it all the 
snares of the enemy : let thy 
holy Angels dwell in it, to 
preserve us in peace ; and let 
thy blessing be always upon 
us : Through our Lord, &c. 
y. The Lord be with you. 
9. And with thy spirit. 
T. Let us bless the Lord. 

66* 



786 ATTRIBUTES OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. 



I*. Deogratias. Benedic- P. Thanks be to God. 

tw : Benedicat et custodiat The blessing : May the Al- 

nos omnipotens et miseri- mighty and merciful Lord, 

cors Dominus, Pater, et Fili- the Father, Son, and Holy 

us. et Spiritus sanctus. Ghost, bless and preserve us. 

P. Amen. Tjc. Amen. 

Then is said one of the Anthems of the B. V. M., according to the 
time, as at page 73b. 

After the Anthem of the B. V. M., say : 

")K Divinum auxilium maneat semper nobiscum. Am&n. 

And then in an under tone : 

Pater noster, Ave Maria, Credo. 

» — 

THE ATTRIBUTES OE THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. 

GOD the Father, is the projector and founder of the 
Catholic Chukch; God the Son, her Redeemer; 
God the Holy Ghost, her sanctifier. The Blessed Virgin 
is her gem ; the Angels are her protectors ; the Saints, her 
intercessors; the Patriarchs, her stem ; the Prophets, her 
oracles; the Apostles, her foundation ; the Pope, her visi- 
ble head; the Cardinals, her counsellors ; the Bishops, her 
shepherds ; the Priests, her v&ice ; the Deacons, her stew- 
ards ; the Subdeacons, her servants; the Martyrs, her wit- 
nesses; the Doctors, her light; the Confessors, her sup- 
port; the Religious Orders, her succor; the Virgins, her 
ornament ; the Faithful, her children. Baptism is her 
cradle ; Confirmation, her strength ; the Most Holy Sacra- 
ment of the Altar, her food ; Penance and extreme Unc- 
tion, her remedies. Holy Order is the source of her juris- 
diction ; Matrimony, her nursery. The Ten Commandments 
of God are her walls ; her own Precepts, her ramparts ; the 
Evangelical Counsels, her outworks. The Body of Jesus 
Christ is her treasure ; Infallibility, her characteristic ; the 
Gospel, her warrant ; Unity, her privilege ; Holiness, her 
brightness ; Universality, her seal ; the Holy Scripture, her 
roof; Tradition, her solidity. The Councils are her 
eralds ; Truth is her rule ; Meekness, her spirit ; Zeal, 
her spring ; Prayer, her shield ; Patience, her victory ; 
Faith, her gate ; Hope, her progress ; Charity, her con- 



ATTRIBUTES OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. 787 



summation. The Grace of cur Saviour is her riches ; 
Chastity, her bloom ; Justice, her beauty ; Prudence, her 
eye ; Fortitude, her arm ; Temperance, her body. The Just 
are her joy ; Sin, her horror ; Sinners, her object of com- 
passion ; the Heterodox, her sorrow ; the Jews, her unsus- 
pecting witnesses ; the Conversion of all, the constant sub- 
ject of her sighs and prayers to God. The Perseverance 
of her Members is her desire ; the Glorification of God, her 
aim ; the Most Holy Trinity, the object of her adoration ; 
the Man-God, her sacrifice; the Ceremonies, her adorn- 
ment. The Earth is her exile; the Cross, her portion; 
Heaven, her term. Scandals are her grief; Penance, her 
comfort ; Indulgences, her liberality. Jesus Christ is her 
spouse ; his presence, her glory. The end of the world is 
the day of her coronation. Her combat is on the earth ; her 
sufferings are in purgatory, and her triumph is in heaven. 
Am I a living member of this Church? Am I her joy? 
Yes, if I but join divine love to my divine faith, and fervor 
in the love of my God. Ah ! sweet Jesus ! grant me thy 
gracious assistance, and grant it to me until my end ! 
Amen. 




THE 



CO 

-S3- 

CO 



END. 





t 




